Subtle. Melodic. Mellow. A few of the keywords describing one of my favorite songs to listen to when painting my ECHOES series.
Music plays an important role in my creative process. Putting on my favorite Pandora station triggers my brain that it’s time to paint. Listening to music that suits the feeling of the work I’m creating helps me get lost in the act of creating, to find that state of flow.
I wanted my ECHOES work to be peaceful but luscious, deep and mysterious. The music I listen to has a lot to do with how those pieces come to be. Here are a few of my favorites that help me realize just the right atmosphere to create an ECHOES painting–
Being an artist, especially a painter, requires a lot of alone time in the studio. Solitude can be blissfully peaceful and lovely but it can also be a bit lonely. To stave off that feeling ( and to get the creative juices flowing ), I like to choose a studio soundtrack that fits the mood of my work for the day.
My work often begins with the inspiring wild places Mr. F and I visit. Eddie Vedder‘s Into the Wild soundtrack captures the haunting majesty of big mountains and vast landscapes. I even created a Pandora* station based on the soundtrack, filled with wilderness-evoking music by Nirvana, Iron & Wine, Nick Drake, etc. It’s my favorite music for working on large canvases– mellow but full of energy.
*side note– is Pandora still a thing? There is probably a better source for online listening, but I’m still using Pandora. I’m uncool like that.
When working on smaller pieces, I bring the energy down a notch or two. The Innocence Mission provides a dreamy, misty atmosphere that gets me in the mood to settle in and lose myself in creating small beauties.
And then there are times when music just doesn’t fit. Usually when I’m gessoing or at the very beginning of new work, I find myself craving conversation and podcasts fill the bill. My favorite these days is Danielle Krysa‘s ( aka The Jealous Curator ) Art for Your Ear.
Danielle has a relaxed, easy interview style that makes it feel like you’re chatting with friends over cocktails. Seriously fun and such good information. Artists getting real.
I’ve also recently started listening to Cheryl Strayed‘s Dear Sugar Radio. I connected deeply with Strayed’s book, Wildand the ways our journeys parallel– the loss of a beloved mother to cancer, the love of hiking, how we’ve both found ourselves literally and figuratively in the Pacific Northwest.
Fresh Air is also a favorite, along with John Dalton‘s interviews with artists. I like to concentrate visually on the work, so I try not to watch videos in the studio while I paint but during breaks I love the Art Documentaries You Tube channel, especially the What Do Artists Do All Day series– the Tracy Emin episodes are especially wonderful.
What are you listening to these days? Any inspiring podcasts I should know about? Beautiful and beauty-filled music to inspire?
Last week, as I was finishing up a painting a little gift for my niece, I got to thinking about what we tend to listen to while creating. For me, my studio soundtrack depends on what I’m working on– for instance, when I work on one of my Feminine Wiles pieces, I tend to prefer classic female voices like Billie Holiday or Edith Piaf. But if I want to just let loose and experiment, I like to listen to maybe something a little energetic and soulful like Florence + The Machine or Motown.
So tell me, Artsies– what’s your studio soundtrack?
pump up the jams | Are you a high energy creator? Maybe you like to blast the beats or turn it up to 11? Rockin’ it old school with some classic rock, 80’s rap or modern girl power totally gets my energy pumping!
slow ride, take it easy | Maybe you like a more peaceful soundtrack for your studio? I know I’ve occasionally asked Mr. F to change the tunes when they’re just a bit too raucous for the mood of what I’m painting. Classical, slow blues, maybe even just something soft and acoustic help keep the mellow flowing.
voices carry | So maybe music isn’t your thing. Some artists fancy a spoken word soundtrack like audio books or talk radio. If I choose to nix the music, This American Life or artist interviews on YouTube inspire and keep my interest without being too distracting.
sounds of silence | Some artists prefer a more quiet creative space, preferring to work with no sound at all. Especially if you’re working on something highly intensive, sound can be a little distracting. So maybe your soundtrack is simple silence.
Which type of studio soundtrack do you prefer? Any specific musical artists, types of music or non-music you always have on your studio playlist? Let’s all share in the comments!
Thanks to Jessica Brilli for providing the beautiful artwork for this post! My first radio may or may not have been similar to one of these.. See more of Jessica’s work on her website!
At least one weekend night at home usually ends up as a movie night for Mr. F and I. While we love comedies and well told drama, we like to mix in interesting documentaries occasionally. After hearing about it on NPR, we sat down to watch Twenty Feet From Stardom a few weeks ago, a film chronicling the stories of the backup singers who literally stand behind some of the biggest names in popular music. After watching, not only did I have He’s a Rebelstuck in my head for days, it also prompted a good many thoughts on how we define artistic success.
The film follows several back-up singers and their stories, the most interesting aspect to me being how they each defined being successful. I think most of us might assume that the “star” is the pinnacle of success and what all are striving for. But I found it interesting that in the case of one singer, Lisa Fischer, fame, fortune and all the trappings were within reach, yet her idea of success was more in dedication to her art than in becoming a household name.
Recently, while working on art direction with an artist ( I do that ya know, among other services for artists! ), I asked her to define what success as an artist meant for her. Before we could go further, I needed to know what her goals were for her artistic career– selling work through galleries? Being her own boss artistically and selling directly from her studio? Having work accepted into juried exhibitions? Having work shown and sold to museums? Simply making work that makes her happy regardless of whether anyone else cares about it or buys it? All legitimate measurements of success.
Some artists may have a firm idea of what success is for them from the very start. For others of us, our ideas of success may grow and evolve over time. As in the Lisa Fischer’s career, sometimes a taste of what could have been changes our ideal of what we want to be.
How do you define artistic success? Has your idea of success changed over the years?
New Orleans is one of those places that is unlike any other. It is unique in it’s history, traditions and way of life. Artists of all kinds, writers, musicians, painters, are attracted to its vibrancy and joie de vivre. In this most European of American cities, the arts are not just a weekend hobby of the 1%. Creativity is an ingrained part of daily life. Each day is touched by artists in some way. And today, as the town celebrates the most New Orleansish day of Mardi Gras, I thought we’d explore NOLA through the eyes of its artists.
As I was thinking about what makes New Orleans such an extraordinary place, six characteristics kept coming to mind..
SUSTENANCE
No doubt New Orleans is famous for its cuisine.. a bit French, a bit Southern.. totally deliciously unique. Jambalaya, po’ boys, beignets, shrimp creole.. I would be perfectly happy to eat my way through the city! Artist Carlos Lopez celebrates the simplicity and purity of New Orleans cuisine in his still lifes of oysters found in the city’s gulf waters.
Southern Trio With Lemon, oil on canvas, 36×24 ( via Gallery Orange )
SWINGIN’
New Orleans Jazz is the soundtrack for the Delta. The horns, the banjo, the bass.. you can’t help but tap your feet. NOLA artists George Schmidt and Frank Kelley, jr., capture the energy that flows from the melodious sounds of Dixieland jazz. Though currently living in Florida, artist Yvonne Lozano’s Delta roots still show through.
NOLA by Yvonne Lozano, mixed media on canvas, 24×36Buddy Bolden's Nervous Breakdown from A History of New Orleans Jazz series by George Schmidt, oil on canvasA Jazz Extravaganza by Frank Kelley, jr., limited edition lithography, 18×15
STRUCTURE
The city’s architecture reflects the diversity of its history and inhabitants.. from grand antebellum mansions to the European-influenced ironwork of the French Quarter to humble shotgun houses, each illustrates a facet of the city’s rich culture and history. And, of course, each has been a source of inspiration for artists such as Grant Schexnider, whose Shotgun Series celebrates the spiritual wealth found in these humble abodes.
Skinny Shotgun 1 by Grant Schexnider, oil on canvas, 18×36
STYLE
New Orleanians have a style all their own. Unfailingly friendly and hospitable, but direct and unafraid to tell it like it is. But always with charm and high style. The stylishly cheeky work of NOLA artist Sarah Ashley Longshore fits the city like beads on Mardi Gras.
Audrey in Orange by Sarah Ashley Longshore, acrylic on canvas with high gloss resing, 30×30 ( via Gallery Orange )
SPIRIT
Joyful. Exuberant. Even in the face of darkness and destruction, every day in New Orleans is a celebration of life. Ally Burguieres’ work shines brightly with the fire of the people of New Orleans.
Moonrise on Bourbon by Ally Burguieres, oil and acrylic on wood, 36×18
STRENGTH
The final and most enduring characteristic of New Orleans is the strength of its community and culture. Poverty, disease, disaster, destruction. The city has seen it all, yet through each trial, comes out on the other end that much stronger. Cory Willingham’s work explores the inner strength found when a community is called upon to rebuild.
Almost Home ( diptych ) by Cory Willingham, acrylic and wallpaper on canvas, 24×30 each
New Orleans isn’t just party central at Mardi Gras. It is a community filled with artists who are serious about preserving the city’s history and not just persevering, but thriving into the city’s future. It is a city that loves its artists and they return that devotion a hundredfold. We’ll continue the NOLA love tomorrow, when Artsy Forager features a NOLA gallery bringing a fresh and contemporary, yet uniquely New Orleans style to the French Quarter!
All images are via the artist’s websites linked above, unless otherwise indicated. Images by Carlos Lopez and Sarah Ashley Longshore are via Gallery Orange.
