Pretty Swallow Greeting Card
This gift card is based on a painting by Northamptonshire artist Jamie Poole called 'Pretty Swallow'
They are a big bold A5 size and come with a nice white envelope. They are great to send as greetings cards to friends and loved ones.
The 'paintings' are made using collage techniques from the words of the famous 'Northamptonshire peasant poet' John Clare. To make the original artworks I printed the poem in a range a up-to date and trendy colours and then cut, ripped, arranged and glued the words into these inspired designs.
My inspiration comes from nature and wonderful lino-cut print making that I admire. The words of the poem add a bit more magic to my imagination and allow you to see into the world of the poet and me - the artist!
I hope you love these designs as much as I did making them!
Below is just one of the poems this series of cards are based on. You can even read parts of the poems in the paintings.
Pretty Swallow
Pretty swallow, once again
Come and pass me in the rain.
Pretty swallow, why so shy?
Pass again my window by.
The horsepond where he dips his wings,
The wet day prints it full of rings.
The raindrops on his [ ] track
Lodge like pearls upon his back.
Then again he dips his wing
In the wrinkles of the spring,
Then oer the rushes flies again,
And pearls roll off his back like rain.
Pretty little swallow, fly
Village doors and windows by,
Whisking oer the garden pales
Where the blackbird finds the snails;
Whewing by the ladslove tree
For something only seen by thee;
Pearls that on the red rose hing
Fall off shaken by thy wing.
On that low thatched cottage stop,
In the sooty chimney pop,
Where thy wife and family
Every evening wait for thee.
John Clare (1793-1864)
Pretty Swallow Greeting Card
Jamie's artwork frequently uses a range of mixed media techniques that have also incorporated words. In recent years this has become more important and now collage is a major part of his work which often uses words poetry. The lines of various poems have been woven into his imagery - segments of which can be read.
The wide range of habitats such as wildflower meadows, wetlands, marshes, woodlands and wet grasslands are full of a diverse range of animals and birds. These offer endless inspiration for Jamie's artwork on a daily basis as he lives right on the edge of a stunning nature reserve near the towns of Higham Ferrers, Irthlingborough and Rushden.
Greetings Cards, Signed Prints and original artworks are available on these pages.