White turtles, Master artists and looking at the water

The waterfall on South Mountain
Hits the rocks,Tosses back its foam
With terrifying thunder,
Blotting out even
Face-to-face talk.
Collapsing water and
Bouncing foam soak blue moss,
Old moss so thick
It drowns the spring grass.
Animals are hushed.
Birds fly but don't sing
Yet a white turtle plays
on thePool's sand floor
Under riotous spray,
Sliding about with the torrents.
The people of the land
Are benevolent.
No angling or net fishing.
The white turtle lives
Out its life, naturally.

- Wang Wei (699-761)

" What is that at which all true artists are aiming? It is life, it is reality. The painter tries to catch the magic of the lights and shadows and passing graces of the human face he paints, but he never wholly succeeds in overtaking the reality. All great art is an imperfect, halting attempt to catch up on life. Life is the greatest art of all...... and the master artist is the one who is living the beautiful life".
By a philosopher of the Victorian era John Edgar Park

Work doggedly, one thing after the other.
Begin work early, finish many things each day.
Work on what comes to hand, what demands attention.
Have rough plans--work them daily.
Rest from the work--look at the water.

from R Genn's tice weekly letters - www.painterskeys.com