A Strange Tale
It was a strange thing thought Lowry, one minute he was an old man in Salford in the midst of a conversation with one of his paintings. The next moment he was standing in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, talking to the same painting. Yet now he was a young art graduate.
When he left the gallery Lowry saw shapes and shadows and matchstick men and women. He unpacked his I-pad and started to sketch, deft strokes saw a new world appear. Gone was the smog, instead the sun shone in his work, yet the matchstick people remained.
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Immediately thought of the 1968 chart “Pictures of Matchstick Men” by Status Quo (Ozzy Osbourne did a version in 1997) but when Googling, found out there was a 2003 film called Matchstick Men starring Nicolas Cage.
Not sure what to make of Lowery (or Lowry) talking to a painting and finding himself suddenly whisked back to a much earlier time in his life.
Thank you James, I like the stories that sit behind Lowry’s paintings. The prompt phot spoke to me of Lowry’s style. I rather hurriedly wrote this piece of flash whilst I waited to meet a friend for coffee. I really intended the story to be about reincarnation. Sorry about the spelling mistake of Lowry, I have now removed the [e]
What a lovely whimsy. Lowry copied himself?
Somebody either copied him, or he was reincarnated, and he had a brief moment of recall?
I wonder what Lowery would have made of digital painting. I’m not sure he would have been a fan, but you never know.
We will never know. With this piece of flash I really felt a desire to write more, and so indicate what was behind my writing.
Obsessions and an artist’s mind ….
So true Reena.
Imaginative piece, Michael.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Rochelle, perhaps I had to much home made curry last night
Two Lowrys for the price of one! I hear some art critics can be a bit sniffy about his work, but it certainly has atmosphere. Nicely done
Thank you Lynn, I love the real life stories behind Lowry’s paintings, which depict industrial Lancashire as I saw it in the late 1950’s.
They captured something about the time, didn’t they? I like them too and they gave a view of life that many in the Southern centric art world hadn’t seen much of before
Thank you Lynn, Lowry’s art captured a disappearing era.
Very true Michael
I’m with Reena on this. Lowry is so bound up in his art that he feels only mild curiosity at being displaced 60 years and 3000 miles. Smashing take on today’s prompt!
The question is what happened to him in missing years, was he abducted or reincarnated. Then again perhaps I just have two characters who both see and treat art in the same way. Writing flash often leaves me with unanswered questions
Eerie story – but wouldn’t that be cool! Love your story and it is good!
Hi Nan, cool it would be. Thank you Nan
Your story reminds me of the show in the USA during the early 1960’s called “The Twilight Zone”. In fact, your story could had been one of the better episodes. I like reading your story. Very imaginative.
Thank you for your encouragement Mike, it is appreciated
You enticed me to go and look up Lowry whose works I didn’t know. I can see why you thought of him with this prompt. A bit like deja vu only the objects were known the places and times changed. A nice quirky story.
Thank you Irene, I enjoyed Lowry’s art, as it captured a disappearing era.
Delightfuilly different Michael. Fiction with a nod to fact!
Click to read my FriFic!
Thank you so much Keith.
Very good. I got that it was reincarnation, though I wasn’t sure I was right.
Hi Sandra, even I was not to sure if it was reincarnation or something else.
Interesting take, a little other-worldly magic thrown in. Good read.
So pleased to read your feedback, thank you granonine.
Haunting words “yet the matchstick people remained”. Nice take on the prompt.
Your comment has helped me to see another angle to my story, Thank you.
I believe this is one of your best pieces, Michael. I love the matchstick people.
Thank you so much Alicia,
I’ve known some matchstick girls. 🙂
It takes all shapes and sizes to make the world go round.
Love Lowry and loved this whimsical story.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Thank you so much Susan. Lowry captured a disappearing world.
A very different way to go with the prompt. Gave us a bit of a pause … well done.
Isadora
Thank you so much Isadora.
This was a great way to build it… If I hadn’t watched Antique Roadshow I would never have got it about the Matchstick men.
Thank heavens for the Antique Roadshow, thank you Bjorn.