Steps, Another Painting and Poem

Steps, The Chapter House at Wells Cathedral

I'm still painting, and the Everyday Matters group is my inspiration. My reaction to the most recent challenge (Draw something with steps) was, no way. I dislike drawing architecture because I'm not particularly confident about perspective; nature and I abhor a straight line. Then I recalled a picture I took on a 1986 trip to England of the famous Chapter House steps at Wells Cathedral. I had seen a vintage photo called A Sea of Steps , very involved and lyrical, and I wanted to try my own. I also had attempted to draw the scene, but failed. Anyway, I found the snapshot, cropped it, bumped up the contrast, drew from that version, and then painted this. I like the warm and cool colors spilling down the worn steps.

Mother to Son
Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now—
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.