THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 20, 1995 TAG: 9507190141
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER WAVERLY
DATELINE: WAVERLY LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
CHRISTINE SPARKS has been writing poetry for 24 years. Her husband, Michael, has been painting for 30 years.
A meeting of the minds, and talent, of the Williamsburg family, is on exhibit at the Miles B. Carpenter Museum.
``Reflections of Art and Poetry,'' features paintings by both, with her poetry describing the scenes - rural Americana for the most part - homes with porches, a quilt, children, flowers, trees.
``The lush, green scenery of Virginia,'' as Christine describes it.
The scenes, and the words, are idyllic, showing and describing a world of loveliness and serenity.
Michael, 49, accounts manager for Cray Research Computers, is also into Chinese cooking. He has written about it for The Daily Press in Newport News and has displayed his Oriental cuisine prowess on WAVY-TV.
Again, it was a show of togetherness.
``Michael did the cooking. I did the writing and research. Everything he put in his column, he had to cook. That meant a lot of experiments, a lot of cooking,'' said Christine, 47, who also conducts children's workshops.
She has studied under several teachers. Her husband is self-taught.
Christine has earned recognition for her poetry, including a spot in The Writer's Digest Top 10 and first place for free verse from artist-/-art promoter, Irene Leache.
In 1987, she won first prize in The Tar Heel Writer's contest. A few years later, she was a top-five finalist in the Houston Poetry Festival, and a finalist for The Golden Pen Award in Houston.
Her latest poems can be seen in five different literary publications.
The Miles B. Carpenter Museum is offering a look at some of those successful efforts. ILLUSTRATION: ``Graduation Day'' by Michael Sparks is on view at the Miles B.
Carpenter Museum, along with poetry by Christine Sparks.
Mother Braiding Daughter's Hair
Each strand of hair like rusty rope
Lapping over
Lapping over
Locks itself around the core.
The brush and hair - hiss
In unison
Electric with the legacy of our lives.
Lapping over
Lapping over
Like the rugged waves
We ran away from
Ran toward
In our humid dreams.
Silence, is as perfect as light
And the light ripples down
Upon my head
Upon your hair
Lapping over
Lapping over
Till the ends are bound.
- Christine Sparks
AT A GLANCE
What: ``Reflections of Art and Poetry,'' poems and paintings by
Christine and Michael Sparks
When: Thursday through Monday, 2-5 p.m., through Aug. 28
Where: Miles B. Carpenter Museum, U.S. 460, Waverly
Admission: By donation
Call: 834-2969 after 11 a.m., or 834-2151
by CNB