Science – Jeffers

Science_JeffersIIAfter Tuesday’s polaroid eye doodle post, I went back into the archives to find another eye to go with it for today – and I found this collage I did for the poem “Science” by Robinson Jeffers. This is actually a revision of one of my very first posts, and I still like this revised collage better (if you’d like to compare, the original collage is below the read more tag). This one is more focused and captures the mystery I was going for better.

A little bit more about Mr. Jeffers, from the original text of my post:

“I had several science related writing deadlines this last weekend and during a bout of procrastination, I decided to revisit my illustration for the excellent and mysterious poem “Science” by Robinson Jeffers.  I found I was still happy with my collage (which is not always a given when revisiting an illustration!), but decided to change the field of view in order to cast a more ethereal mood. If you’d like to see the original post with the full collage, head right over here. Mr. Jeffers led a very colorful and extremely successful poetic life – he is one of the few poets to have been on the cover of Time magazine and his face was featured posthumously on a postage stamp. The sharp decline of his popular legacy is often tied to his staunch open opposition to WWII and other viewpoints considered unpatriotic at the time. Mr. Jeffers spent most of his life in Carmel, California, and built his home and a four story tower by hand out of stone. Read the full text of “Science” here.”

Science_Jeffers

 

17 comments

  1. I like both versions, but yes they do have a different quality of feeling. I just read about Tor house. It fits perfectly into many of the unusual homes in Carmel that run along the rocky coastline.

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    1. It sounds amazing – I’d love to go and tour it one day. It’s another one on the life list, as they say. I remember visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea many years ago and marveling that some of the houses don’t have street numbers, they are just “Green Cottage” or “Township House”. Right out of a British cozy mystery!

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    1. I will send it out into the universe – we miss you, Sheldon! We hope you are well and safe and hanging in there wherever you are.

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  3. Really appreciated this, especially this line from the poem: “… being taken up
    Like a maniac with self-love and inward conflicts cannot manage his hybrids.” Somehow this seems more widely applicable — beyond science, to human nature — in light of Paris. Still trying to decide which collage I prefer. Both are intriguing!

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    1. Thank you, Cate! I agree with you: Mr. Jeffers titled the poem “Science” but I have always felt that it was a wider commentary on war, destruction, man’s inexplicable treatment of fellow man – a commentary that is sadly still so apt.
      I have a tendency to edit by pruning – removing elements – so it is good for my process to hear that you liked the original also!

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    1. Dearest Sheldon – you are so welcome! Thank you for all of your likes and support here at IP!
      I have many colleagues in Paris, it took us many hours to confirm that they were all safe. These days we are so interconnected, and yet the world seems further torn apart than ever. But we’ll hang in there – this too shall pass.

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      1. Omg you are all spread out
        What roots you have
        I went to Paris for my honeymoon
        Some 13 years ago
        I have a deep love for it
        My heart is in pieces
        I pray to someday go back

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    1. Thanks! John Sapiro and I had a whole back and forth by email about this poem long before I tackled an illustration for it – it is certainly rich material for the imagination!

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