$20
Item#: 2014SYR05
11x17-inches, printed on heavy weight (100-pound) Hammermill cover paper. We package each print with a piece of chipboard in a clear plastic sleeve.
You also receive…
An information page with photos of the artist and poet, and hand-written comments from each.
Medium- and large-format posters are available by custom order. Contact us for details.
Shining farm market
Season of splendid colors
Flowers kiss flowers
The poem reflects my effort to understand and mingle with the local community. Language was a barrier when I first arrived here. To better understand Syracuse, I would go with friends to the farmers' market to see the traditional weekend activities of American people. The market reminded me of the open air markets in Vietnam. One of the main differences is there is almost no bargaining between buyers and sellers, and everything happens so peacefully here. I first saw the market in flower season. There were so many kinds of flowers in many colors. I was surprised that some flowers, which I only found in the wild in Vietnam, were cherished, planted, and taken care of carefully here. The poem is what I instantly felt when seeing all the beautiful flowers.
I typically draw a lot of nature scenes, so this poem appealed to me right away. It was autumn at the time, and I was inspired by the fall colors and farm markets that are prevalent in my area. Often when I sit down to create art I have a clear plan and make multiple sketches before diving into the finish. This time I allowed instinct to take over. All I know is that I wanted to my rendering in an art nouveau style like the great Alphense Mucha. He was able to combine naturalistic elements with graphic designs to create a total image. I wanted my solution to the poem to have the same impact. I started off with the woman holding the cornucopia and space for the type. Because I was working digitally, I could adjust scale, experiment with different ideas, and create a strong composition. I was careful not to interpret the poem too literally and chose to leave much ti the imagination.