[Play while reading 🙂 ]
I was thinking yesterday while cleaning up in the studio about the potential for a new series. Because I’ve been unsettled with this move, I’ve been painting deprived for a couple months now. While I have commission drawings to do at present for some great clients, nothing really compares to picking up a paint brush and spontaneously painting..just painting for myself. There is also nothing like being completely focused and in-the-zone with a painting. The moment when I forget about the technicalities of the process and start ‘feeling’ the painting..
Painting horses while in that zone, I can feel every contour and muscle as it would in life and it’s just coming out through my brush to the canvas….alas, it took me along time to learn and to free myself, as a usually ‘process-oriented’ artist to get to this point. I still have so much further to go and explore. I guess this is the exciting part?!
What am I listening to during all this..? I didn’t realize how much music plays a big part during my creative process. When I was cleaning up, I was listening to Radiohead, while I love all Radiohead, High and Dry really gets me..(it’s best loud!) I got this adrenaline rush, it was just killing me not to grab my brushes and a blank canvas and start painting then and there. I didn’t, but I wondered what I would paint if I did? Then it occurred to me, how selective I am about music when I am working. How many factors are involved in selecting the ‘right’ music at that time to get into the painting zone? Mood, weather, subject, time of day..etc.
I guess I exhausted myself with the rush from Radiohead, because afterward Sarah Maclauglin was up, LOL..How different would those paintings be? probably very.. So perhaps an idea for a series, ‘Music to Paint By’???
My ramble for the day…artist friends reading, I would love to hear what music you’re listening to!
1 Comment
Sheona Hamilton-Grant
December 11, 2008Studio music could a a great theme to explore.
Music is so crucial to my work as well.
Most of the time I’m listening to something out of my alternative rock collection. Favorites at the moment being Nickelbacks’ Dark Horse, Linkin Park & Marillion. Incredible as it may seem the roughness and loudness of the music keep me calm and focused allowing detail to emerge in my work. I’m sure there’s a logic there somewhere.
Love Radiohead, coldplay & REM as well and funilly enough Sarah also gets to sing a wee tune sometimes to.
When I clean up though,it’s Mozarts’ Requiem (full blast) everytime 🙂