Katherine Keenum

Blog post tip: A post on Samuel Palmer's trees at Charley Parker's Lines and Colors is a good follow-up to thoughts about touch in graphic art and fiction. A few days ago, I heard about a child who climbed into the crotch of a tree to feel held. It recalled to me the sensation of nestling down against the strength of major limbs. The roughness and convolutions of bark shown so vividly in enlarged details at Parker's post could provide visual stimulation for writing such a scene in a story. The trick would be to find language that evoked both physicalities and psychological feelings.

NB: It's fascinating also how Palmer achieves an awareness of space between the viewer and the trees and a beckoning glimpse of light beyond.