Weekend Whimsy

Friends, poets, countrymen: lend me your pens!

No, seriously---lend me a pen. I keep losing all of mine. (HA, aren't I a little jokester today!) ANYWAY, all of that aside, welcome to our second Weekend Whimsy prompt, where we pair a piece of art with a quote to create an inspirational prompt. If you noticed that we don't normally do these, you're spot on: this is yet another one of our National Poetry Month projects. That's right, we are slaving away tirelessly this month to be sure that you're entertained, informed (on things like Spongebob memes, at least), and inspired. So do us a favor: read it, here and there. We'll love you forever and ever. Plus, so many of them (like this one) have pretty pictures or those new-fangled GIF things. If you're totally not into reading, we do have free, printable artwork---now hey, that's not so bad! Maybe there's something to this poetry stuff, after all. Click here if you want to check out our latest and greatest free National Poetry Month printables.

Now, let's get down and dirty with this week's Weekend Whimsy prompt. 

It's no secret that I, Alli, am obsessed with Monet. Obsessed. As in, I am that awkward gal standing in the Impressionism Wing at the Art Institute, gawking for an hour or more. That being said, this painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir just kills me---it's definitely in my top five pieces of art. It's interesting, because Renoir was generally better known for his portraits, but this seascape is just incredible. I have stood in front of it for 20+ minutes before, mesmerized. It's definitely worth seeing in person if you haven't yet. Some days, it looks stormy to me. Other days, the colors have seemed to express wild, untamed, rough joy. I'm not sure what it means, but I feel like sometimes I'll blink and be on this beach. (I have also been told I have an overactive imagination, though, so go-figure.)

Photo Cred: ME! + NO FILTER. So hah. It's just that good lookin'.
Artwork: Seascape, 1879, Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

I see no better quote to pair this with than James Joyce's lovely thoughts expressed in The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man:

Now, before I leave, I'll apologize for two things:

1. You may have noticed this was your second sea-spiration Weekend Whimsy in a row. Sorry, but also not sorry at all. If you didn't like this one, you might like Emily's sea-whimsy prompt.

2. You may have noticed that I am OBSESSED with this James Joyce quote. Again: sorry, but also not sorry at all. It's amazing. Check out the quote graphic I made for Floodmark on our Instagram account by clicking here.

Happy writing, folks. :)