THE NIGHT WASH... (My new poem inspired by another of Louise McIntosh's paintings...)

 The Night Wash…

(Inspired by Louise McIntosh’s painting…)

Amber upon black, a near full moon is reflected as a mere smear

In the rage of a night storm, which heaves itself in its beastly form

At palings, surrounding them and hacking at their roots in surges,

Roaring its dark intentions to disrupt, to instil horror and acute fear, 

 As raucous waves toss and tousle and haphazardly swarm

Around the fringes of an incongruous cottage, its chimney puffing smoke as the tide urges

Itself forth to night-wash the night wash of garments whose bright colours cheer

The scene, as the tree-prop flickers slender boughs in defiance and its warm

Slick tinge of green foliage into the surf’s blackened mirror merges…  

Pete Ray…

11th March 2026…    

Another delightful Louise McIntosh painting, which provokes so much thought yet again…

...& the thoughts of independent source, The Sand Martin...

'CS Lewis likened art to friendship as…'...one of those things which give value to survival.'

In this picture we see a vivid depiction of washing on a line. It literally flags up the necessity of human endeavour to keep clean. Like hamsters on a wheel we must constantly keep up with our washing albeit day and into the night. It is a dreary, thankless task even with modern appliances.

As one looks at the painting, the pale ice blue in the foreground leads the eye upwards along the fence line towards an astonishing sight set in the deep blue-black that covers over half the picture. On the horizon we see a bright cottage and washing with garments that brightly zing on a line in a slight breeze. One end of the line is attached to a simple pale blue cottage with a bright red door and a matching bright red roof. 

The other end is attached to a tree, brightly coloured as if by multi-coloured Christmas lights. Wisps of smoke swish upwards from the chimney indicating some slight movement of wind whilst the brightly coloured washing is barely moving. This may be the reason it has been left outside to dry overnight and not taken indoors as has been tradition. 

The bright orange moon above is reflected into the pale blue and two flashes of vivid green add further drama. We are left wondering whether we observe the sea or a hillside in snow, or a bit of each. It is

completely intriguing.

Whilst the endless chore of washing continues in our lives this painting makes a beautiful drama out of the mundane and ordinary. It elevates a commonplace task to another

level that is entirely uplifting and joyful...'