O is for Ophelia: Three Cheers for Art! And Pictures!

“When down her weedy trophies and herself

Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide;

And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up:

Which time she chanted snatches of old tunes;

As one incapable of her own distress,

Or like a creature native and indued

Unto that element: but long it could not be

Till that her garments, heavy with their drink,

Pull’d the poor wretch from her melodious lay

To muddy death.

(Ophelia)”

~ William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Back in January, I began the One Page a Day Challenge and immediately threw away my quill.  Now in April, I’m participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge and prepping for a Wilderness Writers’ Retreat.  I need ink, a stiff drink and therapy.

L

ucky readers.

You get three days of picturesque posts because your fearless writer has holiday brain. And if I’m really being honest, Black Dagger vampire brain.

Both are akin to senioritis or the summer’s-coming-shakes: they render the victim unable to form coherent thoughts other than:

“Ahh, a three day weekend!  Sleeeeeping in!”

and

“OMG!  That character did NOT just die!  What the heck, J.M.!?!  Must buy next book in series!  Arghhhhhhh!”

And now back to our regularly scheduled Alphabet post:

O is for Ophelia

A couple of years ago, I highlighted Waterhouse’s painting of Ophelia.  Today, I give you Alexandre Cabanel’s rendition:

Ophelia, A. Cabanel

Cabanel was a 19th century French painter, who first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1844, which my fellow PRB lovers out there, was four years before the Brotherhood came together in England.

And this weekend, I am going to imitate Ophelia's watery pose, but in a bathtub, surrounded by bubbles, candles, and a nice tumbler of scotch.  

And if I'm really lucky, vampires.

Oremus pro invicem,

~ Mikaela

Beauty – it comes in all forms.  Art…and in knowing when to take things easy.