Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Volume 2: 06 - Nautilus

We passed safely
through the rocks and shoals
into an expanse of calm water,
sheltered by jutting cliffs
where the sea
glanced like a mirror
and for the first time
we observed
the fairy-like shells
of the paper nautilus

sailing lightly
over the dazzling surface.
pgs 245 & 246
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Friday, November 19, 2010

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Volume 2: 05 - Beyond the Islet

Beyond the islet
At the entrance to the Bay
We were astonished
To see countless multitudes
Of seabirds, gulls, and others
Which rose like a cloud
Into the Air
Disturbed by our approach

Deafened us
By their wild and screaming cries.
What could be the
Great Attraction
For the swarm of feathered Fowl?
It proved to be a monstrous fish
On whose flesh these multitudes of birds
Were ravenously feeding.
It was extraordinary to watch
The ferocity, envy, gluttony,
And all manner of evil passions
Exhibited among the guests
At this Banquet.
pgs 41 & 42
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Volume 2: 04 - The Trees

I took a survey of the tree

It was admirably suited
To our purposes
The branches strong
Closely interwoven
No beams required
To form a flooring.
I made preparations
That there be no delay
On the Morrow.
A bright moon
Having Arisen

I continued Working,
Until Worn Out.
pg 53
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Volume 2: 03 - Security

See how secure it is
Guarded on all sides
By These High Cliffs
Accessible only
By the narrow passage to the ford
While from this point
It is so easy
To reach the ship
The whole of its valuable cargo
At our disposal
Suppose we decide to stay
At least until we have brought on shore
Everything we possibly can.
pg 39
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Volume 2: 02 - A Beautiful Landscape

A beautiful landscape
A wide and lovely bay
Fringed with yellow sands
Either side extending
Into the distance
Lost to view
In two promontories
Enclosed by these two arms
Lay a sheet of rippling water
Reflecting in its depths
The Glorious Sun Above

pg 20
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Volume 2: 01 - Coral Reef

Glorious shells and coral branches
greatly prized for ornaments
made into beads
for necklaces

"One might almost say
that coral belongs to the
animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms.

It is hard like stone
it has stems and branches like a shrub
and tiny insects inhabit the cells."

Left alone
these coral insects
laboring incessantly
raise foundations
on which fertile islands appear
clothed with verdure and inhabited.

The sight of the lovely shells and coral
inspired us.

pg 163
Painted on front inside cover of Vol. 2
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

44 - Mountain Valley - End of Volume I

The prospect before us was wide and varied
Swelling hills and verdant vales
extending from the river
towards a chain of lofty mountains
We crossed the stream and were
soon surrounded by desert.

"Look beyond the toilsome way
to those grand mountains
whose spurs are already stretching
forward to meet us.
What pleasant surprises
await us
amid their steep declivities."
pg 192
Painted the back cover of Vol. 1
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Sunday, November 7, 2010

43 - Ostrich

Very large ostriches.
Magnificent birds
feathers alone worth having.

As the ostriches approached,
in our direction
they varied their pace,
as though in sport

springing, trotting, galloping and chasing
each other round and round
so that their approach was by no means rapid.

Only one was male,
the white plumes of the wings
and tail contrasting finely
with the deep glossy black
of the neck and body.
pg 193
Painted on back inside cover of Vol. 1
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Saturday, November 6, 2010

42 - Lianas

Continuing our way
through a thicket
densely overgrown
with lianas.

We emerged
on the seashore beyond
the forest sweeping inland.

pg 18 - 19
Painted on front cover of Vol. 1
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Friday, November 5, 2010

The End of Volume 1

Altered books was a new concept when I began this blog... and in many ways still is. But I have journeyed far in the time I've spent with my first book. I have three more surfaces to paint with this book.... the inside back cover, and both outer covers. Then Volume 1 will be done.

It started off with me finding words on the pages that inspired me.... and then painting whatever picture was inspired by the words/ I stopped delineating the words when it became too difficult to paint around them. But I still look for words to inspire a painting. For the three remaining surfaces in the Volume 1 book, I'll paint scenes that I'm inspired to do based on the book.

Volume 2, of the same book, will be a more slender volume. I plan to remove more pages from the book so that the remaining pages will fit more easily within the binding. I plan to go through the remaining pages that have not yet been allowed to inspire a painting and find any words of inspiration. In whatever order I wish, I will then finish up volume 1 and start painting volume 2. Eventually I hope to take the abbreviated story and pictures, and put them together in the order of the pages in the text, and create a miniature story of my own. It won't really tell the story by itself, but for anyone who is fond of the story, it will be an interesting journey into memories...and perhaps inspire a re-read.

To get perhaps 60 to 70 paintings/poems inspired by 278 pages of text is an interesting feat.

As I finish Volume 2, I will then face another decision. I might take my unbound copy of SFR, and paint yet more, depending on whether or not there is any more inspiration. My thought is that I will unstaple the actual binding, and pull free the larger sheets, gluing three sheets together and creating approximately 40 - 50 "canvasses" where I can finish off any last bits of inspiration and/or select out the best of all of the paintings and see what time and ability will do for a new vision o fthe same thing.

It's a bad thing, I think, to be a glutton? Gluttony is my big sin. I can't even avoid it in painting. But it gives me pleasure.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

41 - Seacorn

At the break of that eventful morn
We were destined
to set our eyes upon the unicorn.

Baskets of the choicest fruits
in fresh and fragrant profusion
anchor weighed
sails set
the little vessel
as though partaking
of our joyous expectation

Bounded merrily over the water
Gave berth to the reef
against whose frowning rocks
the sea lashed itself to foam

Every eye on board
and on shore
turned toward
the unicorn

pg 272 - 273
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

40 - Mushrooms

Displayed all the wonders
House, cave stables, gardens, fields, and boat-houses
Perfect flowers
took the place of honour
Our steeds
with tails in the air, ears back
and heals thrown playfully out
they seemed about to overwhelm us.
We stepped aside
to shelter ourselves
behind the trees.
Many a shower wetted us
during these days
as the annual deluge began
Never before
had this dreary season
seemed so short and pleasant.
The weariness and discontent never appeared
before we were released from our captivity.

pg 266 - 267
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

39 - Cachalot

Our beautiful little yacht
bounded over the water gaily
Bright sunshine and a delicious sea-breeze
Putting us in high spirits.

The Archway was in sight
when suddenly
I saw a dark and shadowy mass
a catastrophe seemed inevitable!

We surged ahead, the danger passed!
Where but a moment
before I had distinctly seen
a great green shadow - Nothing!

Another!
Moving!
And a great black body
emerged from the sea,
from the upper extremity rushed
a column of water,
which, with a mighty noise,
rose upward.

The mystery explained
as the great beast emerged
yet further from the water,
i recognized, from its enormous size
and great length of head
the cachalot!

Apparantly enraged, the monster
meditated a rush upon us
savage temper apparantly
lashing the water violently for a few seconds
plunged beneath the surface
and disappeared.

pg 254 - 255
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

38 - Warthogs

Going quietly along
when suddenly
there was a rustling
and snorting close by.

A great boar
broke through the bushes.
A huge boar
with fierce eyes
monstrous tusks
and a snout as
broad as my hand!

pg 248 - 249
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Sunday, October 24, 2010

37 - The Corridor

I pursued my way
through this vaulted cave
or corridor, which,
presently turning,
opened into a very lonely bay,
so calm and lake-like,
although of considerable size.

It's shores, beyond the rocky boundary
through which I penetrated
extended in fertile plains
towards what seemed
the mouth of a river
beyond which  lay rough
and probably marshy ground,
and a dense forest of cedars
which closed the view.

The water beneath me
was clear as crystal
an, gazing into its depths and shallows
I perceived beds of shell-fish
like large oysters,
attached to the rocks
and to each other
by tufts of hair filaments.

pg 242 - 243
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

36 - Three Froggies

Recovering their feet,
sat squat before us
swelling and puffing
with a ludicrous air
of insulted dignity.

Handsome young specimens
of famous frog.
Their talent for music
has brought them
precociously into public notice.

Their general color was greenish brown
mottled and spotted
with reddish brown and yellow
the sides green and black;
the under part yellow
mottled with orange.
The eyes were positively beautiful
a rich chestnut hue
covered with golden white dots
which shone with metallic lustre.
The skin of the body was puckered into longitudinal folds.

pg 236 - 237
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

35 - The Elephant

The evening was calm and lovely.
The sea murmured in the distance,
and the rising moon shed a beauty
over the landscape.
The summer night closed around us
in all its solemn stillness,
and our deepest feelings were touched.
From the hills echoed
the mournful howl of jackals.
Far away sounded unearthly
hollow snortings and neighings,
reminding one of the strange
cry of the hippopotamus;
above these, occasional
deep majestic roarings
made our hearts quail
with the conviction
that we heard the voices of
lions and elephants.
pg 230 - 231
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Monday, October 18, 2010

34 - Walrus and Storm

Prodigious weight
among the rocks
grand snow-white tusks
the walrus
an animal peculiar
to the arctic regions.
Black clouds
gathered thick and fast
around us
and a tremendous storm
came on.
The horizon was shrouded
in darkness,
fearful gusts of wind
lashed the ocean into foam,
rain descended in torrents
livid lightning
glared athwart the gloom.
The tempest swept on
and my whole agonized heart
arose, earnest for our deliverance
pg 224 - 225
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010