Category Archives: ’tis a gift to be simple

A little E.R. poem

Posted on May 10, 2015 by rick mobbs

I spent a little time in the Emergency Room at St. Vincent’s this morning. They found some pneumonia and I’m at home with good company (Broadus) and antibiotics. It turns out my ER Doc, Jamie Gagan, is a practicing artist … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, acequia, art, broadus, callings, Dr. Jamie Gagan, nmsu, poetry, stories | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

gerard manley hopkins

Posted on July 20, 2009 by rick mobbs

This is something I painted for Maria Fernanda Sosa, rolled up and carried to Venezuela to deliver to her. I probably owed her some money, I can’t remember now. Or maybe it was because her daughter, Fernanda Sosa, asked for … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, amuirin, awakening, christ, fernanda sosa, fifth business, gerard manley hopkins, God's Grandeur, jesuits, nanda, poetry, stop and wander, supernatural bridge, what's bred in the bone, with warm breast and with ah! bright wings. | 2 Comments

home again home again

Posted on February 11, 2009 by rick mobbs

What a treat to have this time. I’ve been living out of a suitcase in a motel while working in Albuquerque on “The Book of Eli”. My co-workers are extraordinarily gifted and easy to be with and the sets are … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art for film and tv, Broadus and Ada, family, John McCutcheon, naomi swinton, new mexico peace works conference, painting, storybook collaborative, uwc-usa | 17 Comments

something new from the art predator, and more…

Posted on July 21, 2008 by rick mobbs

Lunch-break. The show is winding down and I’m working myself out of a job. That’s the way it works and we are usually ready to be done with the movie at this point, anyway. It never was a calling, just … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, callings, collaboration, collaborative storybook, ekphrasis, film making, film work, image prompts, maria fernanda sosa, nanda, painting, pepektheassassin, picture prompts, poetry, scenic artist, script writing, stories, works in progress, you can't say you can't play | 4 Comments

the (friday) thursday image prompt’

Posted on July 18, 2008 by rick mobbs

We are a little scrambled here, with days and nights, hearts and minds full with work and children – so I am a little late with this one. But with kids in mind, here is a prompt to make up … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, ada corinna, art, awakening, birth, children, collaborative storybook, completion, ekphrasis, faith, family, image prompts, love, painting, picture prompts, poetry, portraits, stories, Uncategorized, works in progress | 11 Comments

lunchbreak!

Posted on July 14, 2008 by rick mobbs

I miss the circulating I was doing up until the time I took this movie. Not much time for blogging now, with the arrival of little baby wonderful, and work. Spent the day aging and generally messing up a meth … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, ada corinna, art, ekphrasis, film work, home birth, lullabies, mariacristinapoesia, painting, poetry, scenic artist, works in progress | 15 Comments

7/10/08 image prompt

Posted on July 10, 2008 by rick mobbs

Good morning! Time for work, gotta go. Here’s a picture. Backstory, and more about Ada, later! . praise, by joyce davis (pepek the assassin) . The Condor Soars, by Lirone, on Words that sing . Bystander, by one more believer, … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, ada corinna, art, awakening, birth, callings, children, collaborative storybook, damn cat, ekphrasis, faith, home birth, image prompts, kiss of the wind, myths, new baby..., painting, picture prompts, poetry, prose poem, stories | 18 Comments

okay, she’s here.

Posted on July 4, 2008 by rick mobbs

and her name is Ada Corinna Swinton. At least is is now. It’s a working title. Naomi might have other ideas after a few days rest. Ada is healthy and well and is now asleep with her mother.To the many … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, ada corinna, art, broadus, collaboration, completion, connie trujillo, elizabeth withnall, healing, home birth, love, new baby..., NM midwife, poetry, Uncategorized | 31 Comments

still waiting…

Posted on July 1, 2008 by rick mobbs

Pictures of Naomi Swinton and ??? Elizabeth Withnall, our midwife, says to give it a few more days. Meanwhile, we walk, we talk, we romp, we play, we work. We are touched by your thoughts and kindness. And your poetry.

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, babies, birth, children, collaboration, completion, faith, home birth, kids, naomi swinton, new baby..., pregnancy | 17 Comments

Still waiting…

Posted on June 29, 2008 by rick mobbs

But the signs are saying a new life will be arriving here within the next 24 hours… Thank you all for your warm wishes.

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, babies, birth, children, collaboration, faith, home birth, light, love, pregnancy | 19 Comments

starting a show

Posted on June 9, 2008 by rick mobbs

I start Wednesday on a movie in pre-production in Santa Fe. It will be my first show since moving to NM. I’ll be helping to make Las Vegas, New Mexico look like Jaurez, Mexico. Not too big a stretch, actually. … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, art for film and tv, birth, callings, children, collaboration, collaborative storybook, completion, ecphrasis, faith, film work, fun stuff, iatse, image prompts, painting, picture prompts, poetry, scenic art | 9 Comments

process – on the dangers of overpainting

Posted on April 16, 2008 by rick mobbs

or, how do you know when to stop? I like the life in the first two. It feels like I start to paint the life out in the next two. It is easy to overwork the painting I am focused … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, journal, overpainting, overworking, painting, Uncategorized, visual journal, works in progress | 6 Comments

a little note of explanation…

Posted on April 9, 2008 by rick mobbs

…and a picture… the reflection… is anything as it seems? SIZZLE Sigh, child, and sink into the world you know. Let butterflies appear in snow. So what, if the rains come back to Nicaragua? They always do. Would you add … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, angels, art, Broadus Evans, character studies, faith, healing, hope, kids, light, love, painting, poetry, race in america, racial healing, recovery, sketchbook, stories, the art of recovery, wake up dude, works in progress | 18 Comments

works in progress

Posted on April 7, 2008 by rick mobbs

Both started from charcoal rubbings. Expect they will both change a lot. Lost my camera so I took these with my laptop. Good only for a rough idea. And, oops! images reversed by laptop camera. Will correct in next take.

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, dreamtime, faith, healing, myths, painting, stories, visual journal, works in progress | 3 Comments

an open invitation to write about a painting, or two…

Posted on April 3, 2008 by rick mobbs

Last week, feeling on the moody side, I posted an image without an accompanying poem or explanation, asking if anyone would like to make up a story to go with the image. Jo of floresence and Oz of ozymandiaz responded … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, collaboration, ecphrasis poetry, myths, painting, poetry, stories | 13 Comments

the kiss of the fourth wind

Posted on March 26, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, dreamtime, fun stuff, kids, kiss of the wind, light, love, lucid dreaming, lullabies, poetry, recovery, stories, the fourth wind, the kiss, wake up dude | 15 Comments

she sits upon a windowsill, a little more, a work in progress

Posted on March 26, 2008 by rick mobbs

Very much a work in progress…. She sits upon a windowsill and spies a laughing boy, about eleven, barefoot by the water’s edge beneath the tree’s green reaching hands. The canopy throws its color down and lights the shadows with … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aan, ann bunting-mock, art, awakening, callings, electric cow, fun stuff, kids, light, love, lucid dreaming, lullabies, poetry, recovery, stories, wake up dude, works in progress | 3 Comments

whereabouts and wanderlust – the rest of the story

Posted on March 20, 2008 by rick mobbs

Whereabouts and Wanderlust traveled hand in hand. Each one loved the other most and trekked through many lands. Altogether they were happy, blue eyes and blue. Sleeping children brought them flowers, with love, from me to you. And so the … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, electric cow, faith, journal, light dark, love, lullabies, pardon, poetry, recovery, stories | 2 Comments

whereabouts and wanderlust

Posted on March 20, 2008 by rick mobbs

Whereabouts and Wanderlust traveled hand in hand. Each one loved the other most and trekked then many lands. Altogether they were happy blue eyes and blue. Sleeping children brought them flowers, with love, from me to you.

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, faith, fun stuff, kids, light, love, lullabies, poetry, recovery, sleeping children, stories, the children, wake up dude, whereabouts and wanderlust | 3 Comments

a light dark poem – a rewrite

Posted on March 19, 2008 by rick mobbs

Sweet sweet engine of mercy, bright flying speck in the sun, tomorrow I’ll be riding a donkey, tomorrow I’ll be on my way home. We will go to the invisible carnival. We will ride the invisible rides. We will not … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, faith, love, lullabies, my theology, poetry, stories | 8 Comments

obama’s speech

Posted on March 19, 2008 by rick mobbs

Transcript Barack Obama’s Speech on Race Published: March 18, 2008 The following is the text as prepared for delivery of Senator Barack Obama’s speech on race in Philadelphia, as provided by his presidential campaign. “We the people, in order to … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, anger management, art, awakening, callings, character studies, faith, hope, love, obama, obama's speech, poetry, politics, race in america, racial healing, recovery, tapestry, the children, works in progress | 4 Comments

border studies – undocumented aliens

Posted on March 18, 2008 by rick mobbs

Back in Montezuma, N.M. after 10 days on the road with 18 UWC-USA students, faculty chaperones, and Broadus, 8.5 years, a great traveler, interested in everything. In place of a Spring Break, students at UWC elect a service-learning adventure. This … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, despair, faith, grassroots leadership, hope, illegal immigration, immigration issues, love, mexican border, poetry, politics, stories, undocumented aliens, uwc-usa, wake up dude | 6 Comments

a dark light poem

Posted on March 5, 2008 by rick mobbs

Mud and bone and fire and water, blood and ice and cloud and slaughter, bloody, holy, hallowed ground, bloody, empty, silent sound. The ash upon the embers, the fire within the cloud, the sound seeking hearing, the truth seeking sound. … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, awakening, faith, love, lullabies, poerty journal, poetry, stories, wake up dude, works in progress | 9 Comments

work in progress 1 poem or 2?

Posted on March 4, 2008 by rick mobbs

1. Sweet sweet engine of mercy, bright flying speck in the sun, tomorrow I’ll be riding a donkey, tomorrow I’ll be on my way home. Ah! The invisible carnival ride, I’m standing in line to climb on. Twirling and spinning … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, dreamtime, electric cow, faith, fun stuff, hope, journal, light, love, lullabies, poetry, recovery, stories, wake up dude, works in progress | 3 Comments

friends

Posted on March 3, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, faith, fun stuff, light, love, oil painting, stories, works in progress | 4 Comments

make the law dance – the new mexico PeaceWorks conference

Posted on March 2, 2008 by rick mobbs

Make the law dance and the people will love it. Today the NMPWC ends. New Mexico PeaceWorks Conference creating a better world through social justice http://www.uwc-usa.org/cec/peace.htm       Sponsored By United World College-USA, Monte Del Sol Charter School, Santa … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, anger management, art, awakening, callings, college of santa fe, faith, hope, kids, light, love, monte del sol charter school, new mexico peace works conference, poetry, politics, santa fe school for the arts and sciences, uwc-usa, wake up dude, war, works in progress | Leave a comment

Ivan Gold

Posted on February 22, 2008 by rick mobbs

I am in Boston this weekend to say goodbye to an old friend. Here is the death notice, which appeared today in the Boston Globe Ivan Gold Of Boston, formerly of New York City on December 23, 2007, writer, teacher, … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, art, awakening, callings, hope, Ian Gold, ivan gold, kids, light, love, recovery, stories, the art of recovery, the writing life, works in progress | 12 Comments

ann’s calf (for ann bunting mock)

Posted on February 22, 2008 by rick mobbs

I found this calf in Merida, in the mountains of western Venezuela. The painting began as a scumble of color on a tinted and sanded 2′ x 4′ masonite panel. Then I stalled out. I had earlier painted a series … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, ann bunting-mock, art, awakening, callings, dreamtime, fun stuff, hope, kids, light, love, paul hartley, poetry, recovery, stories | 3 Comments

electric cow (barbeque)

Posted on February 21, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, dark, dreamtime, electric cow, fun stuff, light, poetry, stories, wake up dude | 9 Comments

she sits upon a windowsill- (work in process)

Posted on February 18, 2008 by rick mobbs

She sits upon on a windowsill and spies a laughing boy, about eleven, walking barefoot down the river’s edge beneath the tree’s green reaching hands. The canopy throws its color down and lights the shadows with reflections, the subtle ocher, … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, dreamtime, hope, kids, light, love, poetry, stories, works in progress | 4 Comments

Praise

Posted on February 14, 2008 by rick mobbs

I found this canvas in a thrift shop and recycled it. The bright colors are showing through from the original thrift shop painting. I drizzled roofing tar on the canvas and then brought out some of the images which were … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, hope, journal, light, love, poetry, stories | 10 Comments

Slow, swollen, unattractive

Posted on February 13, 2008 by rick mobbs

Slow, swollen, unattractive, difficult to work with, dead. Your husband cried when we told him.

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, hope, love, poetry, stories | 2 Comments

overpainting

Posted on February 12, 2008 by rick mobbs

or, how to ruin a perfectly good painting? I am better about knowing when to stop but still sometimes overpaint one. This is one I liked very much as a charcoal and acrylic sketch. Here are some pics of the … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, callings, dreamtime, light, love, overpainting, poetry, stories, wake up dude | 9 Comments

completed work/works in process

Posted on February 12, 2008 by rick mobbs

A recently completed portrait of Beethoven as a young man. The painting was commissioned by Ron Maltais, the Music Director here at UWC-USA, in exchange for piano lessons for my son, Broadus. I worked from a photo of an old … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, beethoven, blacksmithing, callings, chris thompson ironworks, poetry, portraits, ron maltais, steel sculpture, uwc-usa, war toys, works in progress | 2 Comments

I felt your imprint

Posted on February 11, 2008 by rick mobbs

your imprint detached itself from the great cloud, giving up forgetfulness and unknowing, taking up memory and knowledge, wearing once again the clown suit, cheering me from my great longing, pushing me back from the edge of the hollowed out … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, light, love, poetry | Leave a comment

the daughter

Posted on February 6, 2008 by rick mobbs

we crossed your love with my desire i spun my faith through your fire and yours spun through my water. in the hills her soul found ours, her voice was mist and trills. we knew her by her laughter.

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, chiquitica, light, love, poetry | 11 Comments

soup-kitchen witch (today’s poem is a painting)

Posted on February 1, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, art, fun stuff, light, love, poetry, portraits, soup kitchen witch | 7 Comments

Oh, where did that voice go? Where did I put it?

Posted on January 31, 2008 by rick mobbs

there is an old man in a gutter and he calls his voice his daughter and he sings – come to me, girl, come to me, girl, I miss you so badly I feel so lonely come to me, please, … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, art, light, love, lullabies, poetry, wake up dude | 6 Comments

journal fragment # 1

Posted on January 28, 2008 by rick mobbs

I’m here to find the simple truths that I knew as a child. The dogs make a game of me, the cats curl and sleep upon my body. The daffodils await the rising of the sun. They draw their color … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, art, awakening, callings, journal, love, poetry | 1 Comment

And I in my heaven (another cheerful little number)

Posted on January 24, 2008 by rick mobbs

And I in my heaven you in your hearse rainbows between us and mountains of earth. The faces of children and none of them, not even one of them cursed. . Hearts that had danced while the playing sticks knocked … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, art, callings, dark, love, poetry | 2 Comments