Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Hopes and Hearts Adrift

The subject of Seafaring Heart stares impassively, her mind absorbed in a world none of us can see. Her look is classic enough, a 1920’s bob haircut and a dark, nondescript dress accentuated by a green bow; in expression, however, she is the anti-Mona, mouth and eyes conveying neither mischief nor humor but only a disconcerting vacancy, leading us to wonder if we’ve even a right to be privy to the moment. This, like the path of the blood-red cardinals that flow like corpuscles from her ship brooch, past the sentry fox and into the hazy coastal horizon, is the flow of Sarah Blank’s work. The women refuse to betray their own hearts through some slip of the tongue, and yet seem to trust the artist to tell their stories for them. While in some of Sarah’s paintings, such as Wandering Heart, the theme might seem to be a childhood memory, a forbidden love, or both; in others including One Misty Morning the direction is less clear but the emotion perhaps more telling (in this case, a wistful, almost painful longing for something out of reach).

Sarah Blank can haunt us with macabre compositions the depth of which would give Edward Munch chillbumps, as in The Bear, Moth, and Ghost Wolf; she can cleverly amuse us with rich ironies, as when The Bumblebee Sisters Buy a Bird; or, given the chance, she can move us to sighs with the power of her own personal visions, as she does so capably in Heart Strings and Woodsy Things. Mostly, however, she simply inspires us to minimize our diversions while maximizing our horizons, the message of her endless ships and birds and finger-waved curls seeming to be that meaningful life is lived not along the information superhighway, but in the wild, inexhaustible possibilities of a trolley in the snow, a fox in waiting, a cryptic stare, a book. And here’s a bit of good news that might even make one of Sarah’s stoic ladies lose their sobriety: The winner of today’s giveaway will receive his or her choice of one of the following prints: Seafaring Heart, One Misty Morning or Wandering Heart. To qualify, visit www.sarahblank.etsy.com, then come back here to tell us about your favorite print. Tell us in a second post if you happen to subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 11/27/08.

**We have a winner! Deb who said, "So unique and evocative!! I really like The Bumblebee Sisters Buy A Bird. Adorable!!"**

188 comments:

Peggy said...

The prints are very artistic and creative,I think they are very pretty. My favorite is the One Misty Morning print
Great contest

Allyson Hill said...

Oh my goodness, I love this artist! I'd never seen her work before, good find! My favorite is One Misty Morning which I WILL own someday.

Allyson Hill said...

happy subscriber!

Shauna said...

I love these prints. I love the seafaring heart picture and I fell in love with the They Teach Me to Remember on her site as well!

amzonwmn_us@yahoo.com

Shauna said...

Willing and wanting subscriber as well!

Jenn S. said...

My favorite is the We Come From A Delicate Place print.

Unknown said...

I like the lost at sea print.

Irit said...

One Misty Morning is amazing, and so is Wandering Heart. Such imaginative, delicate drawings!

iritca [at] gmail.com

Irit said...

I'm a subscriber.

iritca [at] gmail.com

Tessa said...

I love her work! It's hard to choose a favorite, but I think mine is "They Teach Me to Remember."

tm1224(at)gmail(dot)com

Tessa said...

I'm a subscriber, too! ;)

tm1224(at)gmail(dot)com

Digital Misfit said...

They Teach Me To Remember is so beautiful and haunting http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9162717 .
Seafaring Heart is another favorite of mine - such a talented artist! Thank you for introducing us to Sarah Blank.

Digital Misfit said...

I am definitely a subscriber :)

VickieC said...

One Misty Morning print

vlbelk@hotmail.com

Annie1 said...

Gorgeous work! Haunting, in a good way!

My favourite is "tiny whales and ships at sea print"

Thanks

nancyrobster@gmail.com

Annie1 said...

I'm a subscriber via email!

Thanks

nancyrobster@gmail.com

Amy said...

I love them all, they seem to evoke faraway memory. However, for the sake of this sweepstakes, of the three listed in your review, I love One misty morning, if you meant for us to pick another I love, We all come from a delicate place.

I saved her etsy page. I love that she uses not pieces like lace and pieces from trinkets and recycled paper.

Keyo said...

The Very Reluctant Farewell print is my fav. thanks for a wonderful giveaway.

Keyo said...

yes i am subscribed to ya!

Hanna said...

wow I love so many of those! I think my favorite is One Misty Morning, then Seafaring Heart. So hard to choose!

Hanna said...

I'm a subscriber.

Superdumb Supervillain said...

I would choose the Seafaring Heart but my favorite print in her shop is Lost at Sea.

Superdumb Supervillain said...

I am a subscriber, too!

cathyhall said...

I loved the Birdcages and Ships Print Set

cathyhall said...

I am also an email subscriber

Anonymous said...

I loved the after the flood print

rhubbert(at)socal.rr.com

Anonymous said...

I am a happy subscribe too.

rhubbert(at)socal.rr.com

diesel51 said...

The seafaring heart picture is my favorite. Lots of members of my family sailed.

beartifix said...

These prints are absolutely gorgeous (and totally affordable)! I really like the Woods, the Sea and Tea.
Thanks for introducing me to yet another great artist!

beartifix said...

And of course, I am a subscriber.

Anonymous said...

My fave is: They Teach Me to Remember, although Wandering Heart is a close 2nd. Thanks for the contest.
kissmyirishlass@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

smilin' subscriber!
kissmyirishlass@yahoo.com

jffryclough said...

'one misty morning'

MOMFOREVERANDEVER said...

one misty morning mrs.mommyyatgmaildot com

MOMFOREVERANDEVER said...

subscribe mrs.mommyyatgmaildot com

Minxy Mimi said...

I NEED to win this, she is awesome and saves in my faves!!!
I like the "They Teach Me to Remember"
I will remember her this Christmas!
mimibunny31@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

The Curious Fox is my fave. If I won, I'd love the Seafaring Heart. All are so haunting.

Anonymous said...

I subscribe!!

Anna Lloyd said...

It's hard to choose a favourite, but I do love "One Misty Morning".

randio said...

The Very Reluctant Farewell is just one of my favs. What a talented artist!

randio said...

I subscribe!

Anonymous said...

Heey, talk about timing! I just wrote a post about Sarah Blank's artwork and how one of her prints would make a perfect Christmas gift for someone special. And Searfaring Heart is my favourite piece. I like how her artwork tells a story.

Anonymous said...

Okay dokey, I just subscribed. :)

Unknown said...

From her website, I like the They Teach Me To Remember print. All of her prints, though, are intriguing.

Unknown said...

I subscribe via e-mail.

MJ said...

My favorite is Seafaring Heart. I love it so!

Roseann K. said...

We Come from a Delicate Place! thanks!

Roseann K. said...

I like One Misty Morning print! thanks!

Heather said...

I've been a fan of Sarah's work for a long time. her subjects are so wistful and haunting, and i love how she uses color. I love love love to win one of her prints! what a treasure that would be :)
Count me in!~
Heather

Anonymous said...

Sarah Blank's prints are absolutely gorgeous--elegant and a little dark--but full of longing and hidden meaning. My favorites are a tie between Seafaring Heart and Ships in Bluebird Cages...

Anonymous said...

Also I just subscribed via e-mail :)

confiance2087@aim.com

MaggieM said...

My favorite art print is the Seafaring Heart. Some of her work is a little "deep" for me. Kind of sad even, but very touching.

maggie@mannwieler.com

MaggieM said...

I'm a happy subscriber!

maggie@mannwieler.com

ky2here said...

I'm liking 'after the flood'. Very moody evocative and a bit disturbing (but in a good way).

mverno said...

one misty morning is my favorite

Anonymous said...

Oh how i love the bumblebee sisters! they are so mysterious and lovely. i am not a subscriber sorry to say! but i will be :) love sarah's art!

s_dobson03@hotmail.com

Christina J. said...

Seafaring Heart is my favorite.

Sunday said...

These pieces are so beautiful, I would love to have all of them--I've never seen anything like it. I really enjoyed the "After the Flood" print, that was especially lovely.

I hope I win!

sundayminimalist@yahoo.com

Christina J. said...

I subscribe

Anonymous said...

Awesome !
I was telling to my boyfriend how much I LOVE "One Misty Morning" and when I went on Sarah Blank's website to show him the painting ... I found the link to this giveway ! Yay !!!
So my choice would definitely be :

-:- One Misty Morning -:-

All the Best from Paris,
x x x
___m___

email : ladyshalott@jubii.fr

Christina said...

Christina - xristya@rock.com - I like Sarah Banks' The Reluctant Farewell - breathtakingly beautiful symbolic artwork in all of her pieces!

Unknown said...

I love them all, but the curious fox definitely caught my eye. Thanks so much for the contest.

Unknown said...

I am a subscriber.

Unknown said...

My favorite print is One Misty Morning because my husband is a sailor and I can imagine myself as the character, reading a book while waiting for him at the shipyard. I also like it because it looks like a cover of a good novel that I'd like to read!

Unknown said...

I also subscribed :)

Croasla0 said...

I like the lost at sea print! cute whale :)

lauren
croasla0(at)sewanee.edu

Anonymous said...

The Woods, the Sea and Tea print is my fav!

Unknown said...

I have to say that my favorite is the We Come From A Delicate Place print. It is so true of the world these days!

imanoptimisticbeauty(at)yahoo(dot)ca

Unknown said...

I'm a subscriber!

imanoptimisticbeauty(at)yahoo(dot)ca

windycindy said...

What lovely prints! One that is special to me is titled "Heart
Strings and Woodsy Things" Print.
We had a pet red fox for 10 years
and I think the picture is very
peaceful and serene. Please add
my name to your drawing.
Thanks.....Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

Dorothy Cheng said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dorothy Cheng said...

Oops, I forgot to add my email to my last comment.

merytaten.gmail.com

I've been a fan of this artist for a long time now. I really love Ships in Bluebird Cages but a recent favorite is Seafaring Heart. I think it's because it encapsulates my stifled wanderlust... sigh.

Dorothy Cheng said...

Wow, I must be brain-dead! I just realized that I put my email in the comment above as merytaten.gmail.com when it is ACTUALLY merytaten@gmail.com.

I also just became a subscriber.

Once more, with feeling: merytaten@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Favorite: Lost at sea print

ashlomb at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

My daughter introduced me to this artist and I love the "One misty morning" ...
I love misty mornings ! (when not on the road !)

All the Best,
Claire
missmaple.tearoom[!at]gmail[dot!]com

Heather said...

I LOVE the Lost at Sea print. The colour is so great! And the image is wonderful! A great story is being told.

Edie S. said...

My favorites are The Reluctant Farewell and Ships in Bluebird Cages. I have been enjoying reading Sarah's journal for a couple years now and am always intrigued by her unusual style!

Edie S. said...

Oops!
My email is elsteinmann@gmail.com.

Angelique said...

My favorite print is the "One Misty Morning" print. I love how well she captures the feeling of a cold morning, as well as the sense that it is a scene from a long time ago.

I'm a fan of Sarah's, but I've never visited your site before - I'm having fun checking it out!

Anonymous said...

The very reluctant farewell
Jaleigh78[at]aol[dot]com

Amber said...

Tiny Whales and Ships At Sea is my favorite :)


Thanks for the giveaway and please enter me!

hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com

Amber said...

I also subscribe to your blog!

Thanks for the giveaway and please enter me!

hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com

Jenna said...

My favorite is the One Misty Morning print. Beautiful! Thanks for the giveaway!

vboackle said...

i like one misty morning.

Smooshy said...

i like They Teach me to Remember!

mogrill said...

I love the One Misty Morning. Thank you!

littlelatina said...

We come from a delicate place is my favorite

Anonymous said...

I subscribe

Maggi said...

I've been following Sarah's stuff for some time now. My favorite is Seafarring heart

Shelley K. said...

I just LOVE Etsy. This artist is truly unique. Art should stir something in your soul and these pieces did.

My fave is heart strings and woodsy things print.

Thanks for offering a great giveaway.

ETSY ROCKS!!

tskrush AT cox DOT net

Anonymous said...

Definitely "lost at sea"!

kdkdkd said...

I love her heart strings and woodsy things print

Anonymous said...

I want to win "One Misty Morning" for my girlfriend !!!

Ambroise
(ambroise.roux[!at]gmail[dot]com)

Marcy Bock said...

Woodcutters daughter is my favorite!

Anonymous said...

By far, I think the "wandering heart" speaks to me. I love it!

Thank you!
onenightoff (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

I'm a subscriber.

Thank you!
onenightoff (at) gmail (dot) com

Katie said...

I love Seafaring Heart so much that I already own the print.

Katie said...

Also a subscriber.

StinaWins said...

My favorite is the The Curious Fox print!

StinaWins said...

I'm a subscriber!

Rintaneula said...

They Teach Me to Remember is the one that I found to be the most delicate and most beutiful.

Anonymous said...

My wife would love the We Come From A Delicate Place print.

Deb Anderson said...

So unique and evocative!! I really like The Bumblebee Sisters Buy A Bird. Adorable!!

Deb Anderson said...

I'm a subscriber

Theresa MacNaughton said...

I've been a fan of Sarah's for awhile. Her work is quite lovely. "Seafaring Heart" shows great depth - and I love all the different nuances it captures.

Unknown said...

I really love the Sarah Blank's prints

Molly said...

I love Lost at Sea. I love the way the whales spouting water is turned into a tree. I like the way it is so stylized.
momabr at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I forgot to say but I am now a happy suscriber :)

ladyshalott[!at]jubii[dot!]fr
x x x
___m___

PS : my comment was left : November 19, 2008 7:17 PM

Anonymous said...

I love the We Come From A Delicate Place print

twincere[at]hotmail.com

Kathleen W. said...

The Curious Fox is my favorite...very haunting.

Kathleen W. said...

I subscribe too at katwalck at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I have long been an admirer of Sarah Blank's work, and a frequent visitor of her wondrous blog. It is just my fortune that you have chosen for this give away three of my favourite five prints (the other two being The Woodcutters Daughters and Lost At Sea). Though this also presents the dilemma of me being quite unable to choose which print I favour. My only solution is not to choose one at all, and have that particular service performed by you, and your no doubt impeccable taste.
Many thanks,
laura_likes_blueberrypie@hotmail.com
+ I subscribe

Karen said...

Great Prints :)

ktgonyea at gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Gosh thats a cool painting

judybrittle said...

I really like the tiny whales and ships at sea print. That is really nice. Thank you so much!
judybrittle at aol dot com

judybrittle said...

I'm a subscriber.
judybrittle at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

I like Seafaring Heart.

Cheers!

emerald420@hotmail.com

Angie said...

My favorite print is The Bear, Moth and Ghost Wolf print!

ravenwins @ comporium.net

Valerie Taylor Mabrey said...

I love the one misty morning!!

Anonymous said...

... seafaring heart ...
absolutaly gorgeous !

laferriere.me@xplornet.com

jenna said...

Ooh! I've been oggling Sarah Blank's etsy shop for over a year. "Seafaring" was one of my favorites. I also like "The Woodcutter's Daughters," "Birdcages and Ships," and "The Woods, Sea, Tea." So nice!

Tammy said...

I like birds so choose The Bumblee Sisters Buy a Bird

Unknown said...

For its whimsical, forlorn simplicity, I find myself drawn to the the Lost at Sea print. The Birdcages and Ships Print Set is also quite lovely. I love the touch of surrealism.

boldnessbe(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I'm a subscriber!

boldnessbe(at)gmail(dot)com

Relyn Lawson said...

My favorite is the Seafaring Heart. Not sure why. For me, it contains more story. Also, I love the red.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful work! My favorite is the heart strings and woodsy things print.
-Terra
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com

elenalecue said...

i love them all! i'd choose the bumblebee sisters

elenalecue at gmail dot com

Alli said...

I think the heart strings and woodsy things print is beatiful

Tonya said...

elly like the One Misty Morning print

jamaise said...

I love her work. My favorite I think is Wandering Heart. Nice.

jamaise said...

I subscribe too :)

ThreadBeaur said...

Wow! I love that shop! How great. I love the sea theme she has going on! My absoulte favorite is the seafareing heart, but since that is the one you posted, I also really like
tiny whales and ships at sea print

Great, great, great giveaway!
threadbeaur@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

My favorite is "the woodcutter's daughters visit the sea."

Kari said...

One Misty Morning is also my favorite. Very talented artist!

Kari said...

Im a subscriber!

Anonymous said...

The WANDERING HEART PRINT is so pretty and my favorite . Everything is so creative and unique :)Love this shop!!!

cyclona66@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I am a subscriber

cyclona66@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I like The Very Reluctant Farewell.

legenderry[at}cox[dot]net

cdrury said...

cdrury@gmail.com
They Teach Me to Remember is wonderful

Unknown said...

I love "Heartstrings and Woodsy Things".

Erin said...

without a doubt, Seafaring Heart and the Woodcutters Daughters. Sarah is wonderful.

Loopy said...

These are just beautiful! I would never have found this without WW blog! And if I had to pick, I'd choose the lost at sea print. I love anything sea & trees!

Loopy said...

And I subscribe with google reader! thanks!

Funky Finds said...

I love Wandering Heart!

Jessica
info(at)funkyfinds(dot)us

Blog said...

one I love one misty morning! so beautiful!

dreamzz12{at}aol.com

Anonymous said...

"One Misty Morning,"
the ships did sail,
yet trying to think,
was of no avail....

How did time pass
So quickly to this,
To say our good-byes,
With hardly a kiss...

pumpkinlady430@yahoo.com

Rosie said...

My fave? The Curious Fox - I just love the expressions on both their faces... great work. Hope I win!

Anonymous said...

Heart Strings and Woodsy Things is my fave.
farrell@crosslake.net

Anonymous said...

I like the "Tiny Whales and Ships at Sea" print.

Jayme said...

my favorite is the lost at sea print. nice work!

jayme[dot]bouwens@yahoo[dot]com

P. Lee said...

Tiny whales and ships at sea is my favorite - but that is because I have a brother in the navy and I love naval images - they remind me of him!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14200945

Anonymous said...

one misty morning, its the far away thoughts in the eyes.

Jessica said...

The Very Reluctant Farewell print is my favorite - birds and boats and sadness.

jlprunty7 @ gmail . com

Rosie said...

Just wanted to say I'm a subscriber!

klp1965 said...

i honestly love the heart strings and woodsy things print gorgeous just gorgeous :)

rosannepm said...

I like the Lost at Sea print
rosans4@comcast.net

rosannepm said...

I'm a subscriber

Anonymous said...

my favorite is the woodcutters daughters visit the sea.
-anneclaireemond@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I like the One Misty Morning print

Anonymous said...

I think my favorite is One Misty Morning. Thanks for the chance to win.
erma.hurtt@sbcglobal.net

yellowlabs said...

My favorite is the lost at sea print!

SeahorseLady said...

My favorite is the Lost at Sea print.
Very nice work.

Amander said...

I love the Reluctant Farewell.

Amander said...

and I'm a new subsriber!

Anonymous said...

Oh my! Do I have to choose just one?! I cannot possibly. However, I can narrow it down to two lovelies: "The Woodcutter's Daughters" (which I have had on my computer desktop for a week now) and "Ships in Bluebird Cages" is the second one.

These paintings make me want to move to the British coast and sew my own quilts, churn my own butter and make my own yogurt--all while my husband fishes in the cold coastal waters and my two young sons feed the chickens and milk the goats!!

Lesa

lerecius@dcn.org

Leah said...

I love, love, love the Woodcutters Daughters. Beautiful!!! : )))

Thanks so much for this fabulous give~away! : )))

leahita[at]gmail[dot]com

Leah said...

You'll love that I'm a subscriber to your AMAZING BLOG.

leahita[at]gmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

These are all very unique pieces! I'm having a hard time choosing, but I think my favorite is the Lost at Sea...reminds me of a book I read once. And I love the colors!

Unknown said...

I'm a subscriber too! =)

Unknown said...

The lost at sea print is my favorite. garrettsambo@aol.com

Qwill said...

I like the Misty Morning print.

Holly said...

i like The Very Reluctant Farewell print. i feel that way every day i go to work and leave my son. =/

Anonymous said...

I love The Very Reluctant Farewell print!
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net

Anonymous said...

I'm subscribed too!
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net

nannetterya said...

One Misty Morning is my favorite

Helen said...

I love the We Come From A Delicate Place print.

masonsgranny59 said...

wood cutters daughters

Donna said...

I like the We Come From A Delicate Place print
donna444444@yahoo.com

Rockin' Mama said...

I like the We Come From A Delicate Place print

jasonncaryn at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

Heart strings and woodsy things is my favorite.ashlyn@chuparkoff.com

37 Questions said...

I love a very reluctant farewell. What amazing stuff.

37 Questions said...

I'm a subscriber

lilyk said...

I love the lost at sea print!

lilyk said...

I subscribed to your blog.

PurrPrints said...

I really like the Seafaring heart print actually--I looked around the shop but that one remains my favorite (though the reluctant farewell is a close second).

Jennifer R said...

My favorite is the Very Reluctant Farewell print.

Charlene Kuser said...

I love the Ships in Bluebird Cages print.She is a very talented artist.I enjoy her work.Please
enter me and thanks for the giveaway

CharlieGurl57@aol.com

Gina said...

reg8w@aol.com

I like the One Misty Morning. It would be perfect to use for creative writing assignments. The girl in the picture just begs to have her story told.