Musical Themed Paintings
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The Emergence Of Music
The image emerges from the shadows, as the music emerges from the guitar. The feeling of music comes from the hands that play the strings, and from the life that has aged the hands. Music and life itself are emergent properties of all our events and experiences. Each moment is a note in a melody that isn't written, it emerges as it plays.
Hands can be as expressive, and can reflect our personal histories, as much as faces. They can tell a complete story in themselves. If the viewer feels inclined to hear more of the story this painting suggests, that is what makes this a successful work of art.
This painting launched a series of hands playing musical instuments I'm working on. It was also my first experience using alkyd paints, and a good experience it was! Alkyds are oil paints that have been modified for faster drying and greater transparency - exactly the properties I was looking for as I delved deeper into glazing techniques. They can be intermixed with traditional oils. I recommend them to any practising artist.
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Singing Rose
The saxophone is one of the most sensuous of instruments, and I tried to capture the movement and passion for music and life in this piece. The body arches back as the lower hand flares to send the music across the hall. Each note sings in a larger song. The rose could refer to the engraving on the horn of the sax, or it could be the woman's name. The song comes from the touch between hands and instruments. For a moment, the soul of the musician is to be found there, in the small space between the flesh of the fingers and the brass of the sax. That is the beating heart of music.