This page features poemdesigns made by my new colleague and faraway friend George Welgemoed. From South Africa, George wrote to me in June asking if he might make designs to go with some of my poems. As a furniture maker, George was searching on the Internet for a photo of a small key box. Through his searching, he Googled his way to poems about keys and found The Poem Farm. Lucky me! Honored, I said yes.
George does design work and web design for the South African Police Service and says, "Designs, or art as you say it, is only a way to express some of my thoughts. I read a lot on the net and every day search for a poem of something interesting, something that you can illustrate to give it more than the poem itself. Sometimes I have this idea with a picture and then search for a poem...I think that all poems should be visualized, to see the power of the words...I choose the poem by its power of words the strongest visualization or I choose a particular image and then search for a poem that fits."
Technically, George makes these designs by searching through the Internet by using Google search results, images that will fit his visualization of the poem. He uses only pictures that are freely available (not copyright protected), layering multiple images to make something new with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Sometimes his designs are layers of photographs that he or members of his family have taken.
When making digital designs, sometimes George finds a poem first, and sometimes he finds an image first. Either way, he uses different fonts to form the idea of each poem, thus giving "more power to the words". He uses various filters and brushing techniques in Adobe and Illustrator to create the effects and moods he desires.
"Designs for me are a way to express one"s thoughts," says George. At first he was very shy to do so, but he hopes to make people happy through sharing his designs. I'm so grateful to have met him, and I hope you enjoy seeing these interpretations of my poems as much as I have.
You may enlarge the images by clicking on them, and I welcome you to leave comments for George or to ask questions of him below. All designs are the work and property of George Welgemoed.
xo,
Amy
You may enlarge the images by clicking on them, and I welcome you to leave comments for George or to ask questions of him below. All designs are the work and property of George Welgemoed.
xo,
Amy
August 2013
August 2013
August 2013
July 2013
July 2013
July 2013
July 2013
Amy,
ReplyDeleteThese are spectacular. George, your artistic designs of Amy's poems are mesmerizing. I love in the Infinity poem how there is so much to see the longer you look.
Janet F.