IMAGINING LILY PONDS by Michael Crowley
Does this lily pond convey anything Monet’s
doesn’t? Color, brush stroke, placement of pads
may differ but the subjects the same: lily pads
flowers and water. Am I moved differently?
Well, yes and no. Monet gives me more choices
with his multiple canvases. Is there one Monet
superior to Dornfest’s lilies. Truly, beauty lies
in the eye of the beholder. For me it’s
a coin toss. I’ve seen enough lily ponds
in all seasons there are no surprises
unless the unexpected occurs. Mating
dragonflies, a bass crushing an unsuspecting
frog, an alligator feasting on a blue heron or
marble sized hail covering the pads at the end
of the storm. I stand hoping to find the unexpected.
If not there, memory provides it. Paintings
are starting points. Yes, I imagine that Bluegill
lurking under the pad hoping to snatch
a morsel skimming the surface of the water.