by Lisa Browning
“A picture is a poem without words.”
~ Confucius
I first connected with Sheilagh Mercer when she supplied a painting for the cover of Angel Has Her Wings, a book I wrote about in my September 2024 article. Over the years, Sheilagh’s love for art has allowed her to become a successful illustrator, an artist, a teacher, and a healer. She believes that art is a way of expressing yourself and she can help you discover more about yourself, the artist within, and appreciate the world around you.
When I spoke with Sheilagh about allowing me to use the same painting for the revised version of that book, an idea began to percolate, and came to fruition this month. For this unique project, thirteen poets answered the call to write a poem inspired by one of Sheilagh’s watercolour paintings. Paintings were sent on a first-come first-served basis, and each poet wrote their poem after reflecting on the painting they chose.
The result, entitled Poetic Pairings, is beautiful. I published this book as a gift of gratitude to Sheilagh but, as often is the case with heart-inspired projects, the gift extended to each of the poets who participated. Here are a couple of their comments:
Thank you Lisa for providing this opportunity for me and others. The finished book will be gorgeous- a real tribute to Sheilagh and her beautiful art.
Omg … I just needed someone to open the door. I just sat down and wrote, and it felt so good. It served a purpose, and there was joy in writing it. I am honoured to be part of it and you continue to help us make better versions of ourselves!
Interestingly enough, while Sheilagh’s book was being finalized, I received an email from another photographer and poet, Judith Nicholson. We met over lunch to discuss Judith’s idea for a book of her photographs and accompanying poetic observations. That book, entitled Random Thoughts and Photos, was published in November.
Judith taught elementary school for 36 years, and in that time many stories and poems were born … along with countless photos, documenting her adventures in the classroom and in nature. Judith’s hope in publishing her book is that it makes people smile, and perhaps see the world a little differently. A wonderful goal, in my opinion!
We all need as much beauty and inspiration as we can get. I am grateful to Judith, Sheilagh, and the 13 contributing poets, for allowing me to bring these words and pictures to the world.Both books are available through my online bookstore at www.onethousandtrees.com.
