Baltimore Sonnets

Everyone must row with the oars she has. acrylic and leaves on canvas, 2011  Lucky color: Outrageous Orange Lucky number: 461

hand carved linocut on 6 color lithograph map one of a kind print by Suzanne Coley, created in Baltimore 2015 (original map reflecting USGS topographic mapping status in 1967)

black books by Suzanne Coley (part of 365 series) black books for black times egg shell nightmares a somber sun hides behind glass and steel monsters ready to aim potent weapons cable blues for artists waiting for the fix begging for paper not worthy of monopoly black books for black times cursive zinc white words psychotic stripes swell broken spines red welts bandaged oozing passions leaving masters in pieces emergency rooms  storage units black books for black times earth is square king on each corner gulping electrical wines brewed with Aeschylus's reed emperors push bull through snow Elpis forgot to melt Benjamin dreams smuggled in crystal snow cones, favors at private parties welcome to the city of green apples take a bite up the pressure, the party goes on  till the break of blue. . . 220/140 art and poetry ©2014 Suzanne Coley

The Healing: Pulchritudinous,  by Suzanne Coley, acrylic on canvas and wood, 2011  I have finally gotten around to cataloging my abstract works created in the New York City, and selling them on my Online shop.

Regret, like a tail, comes at the end.  Live bold. Illustrations and paintings by Suzanne Coley on Etsy This week I re-opened my shop on Etsy.  I was going to wait until my solo art exhibition in October at Baltimore Public Library.  Then I decided now is the best time.  Stop by.

Butterflies in Baltimore by Suzanne Coley W'y, the Raggedy Man -- he's ist so good, He splits the kindlin' an' chops the wood; An' nen he spades in our garden, too, An does most things 'at boys can't do, He clumbed clean up in our big tree An' shooked a' apple down for me An' 'nother 'n', too, fer 'Lizabuth Ann- An' 'nother 'n', too fer Raggedy Man, Ain't he a' awful kind Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!     ~ excerpt from The Raggedy Man by James Whitcomb Riley         The Poems and Prose Sketches of James Whitcomb Riley, 1898, p 46-47     I love James Whitcomb Riley's poetry, especially the way he captures the innocence of childhood and American dialect.

Here's to life and its unfolding beauty as we journey on.   ~ Gina Morakinyo A few weeks ago a mathematician reminded me of the beauty of handwritten correspondences. Postage stamps and hand cancellations from Kiev, 1993 He presented me with two large packages filled with postage stamps and envelopes from all over the world.  (A few countries no longer exist.) Hand cancellation stamp, Baltimore, MD, July 17, 1993 Today I was going through the packages, and found a hand cancellation stamped on the back of one of the envelopes from Kiev: Baltimore, MD, July 17, 1993.  

Topography of Fear Handmade paper created with 60% cotton pulp, 20% abaca pulp, 20% newspaper. Linocut printed with oil based ink.

My final exam.  Niagara Falls.  A little over a year ago, I began my journey to overcome my fear of water.  This week I had my final exam at Niagara Falls. It was amazing!

Topography of Soul Work on Paper, 2015

It is never too late to say Thank You!  I mailed the last batch of "hand printed gifts" to my followers.  Many thanks to everyone who sent his/her address to me.  A special thanks to everyone who met me in person.  Have a wonderful weekend! (Yes, the chair is made out of books.)

It has taken me years to learn how to slow down and really feel the present, connect with nature, and live in the moment. Today when I went swimming, someone posted this message on the board.   During an interview the Dalai Lama was asked what surprised him most about humanity, and he responded: "Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.  Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."