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Monday, September 30, 2013

Hummingbird (aka Lullaby)



Hello again. As promised, here is the first of the many paintings I have completed over the past few months. The inspiration was flowing like crazy in this head. Seriously, I have not been sleeping because I lay there thinking of images, textures, playing each song over and over again.....(not that I’ll ever complain about that!)

 

This painting, “Hummingbird” was inspired my Lee’s song “Lullaby”. It is a beautiful song, one of my favorites. Unfortunately, it did not make the album. On an exciting note though, it was recorded by Ronan Keating. How amazing is that? An Artist like that wanting one of Lee’s songs? This was a huge step for Lee as a song writer. The world is starting to see what he can really do and it’s exciting. I’m so proud! The amount of talent this man has is unbelievable...


Right before I began this painting I injured my right hand, so I had to compromise on my normal painting techniques. (there is no way I was going to keep my ideas in my head until I was healed!) That being said, I did this painting using ONLY my left hand. (I am right handed). I relied heavily on the crackled textures and the lyrics peaking through the hummingbird and the flowers to tell the story. I do not have an impressive back story for this one. I merely wanted to represent the beauty of the lyrics, but also the roughness in which I had to work with.... a swollen bandaged hand was not going to keep me from creating. I have never been this inspired before, I mean...I have my sketch book with me at all times because each time I listen to the songs, new idea pop in my head. I loved reading what Mare and my sister had to say because art and music affects everyone differently... that is why I love it so much! 


 As always, at the end of this post I will have a link for you to hear it, as well as the lyrics. 


But First, as Promised, Here is Mare’s view point as a Lee DeWyze fan, knowing the music and his vibe... As well as My sister, Danielle’s point of view. Her and my music tastes are quite different, so she will be telling you what SHE sees, not knowing anything about the story behind the song, the lyrics, etc.... . I encourage anyone that would like to share their thoughts to comment as well either as a fan knowing the song, or a fellow artist going by what they see (Please remember this is a place of inspiration & love. Everything has been created out of pure admiration, so be nice or leave) :-) 


My sister, Danielle's perspective :

Hummingbird!! I absolutely love this painting. My first impression of The Hummingbird was bittersweet freedom. Let me explain this a little. I say bittersweet because of the different textures throughout the painting. It's like the hummingbird represents the beauty of being free and being able say, Look out world because here I am. The bittersweet textures tell me that this hummingbird had to earn the sweet nectar of those flowers! Like my life, I can go after anything and everything my heart desires....but I've gotta work for it. The textures to me represent all the hardships that I put before myself that  my own path to that sweet nectar we all crave! But right here, right at this moment when I look at The Hummingbird, I know that through all the rough textures that hummingbird still made it to the nectar, he's still free and amidst all that roughness is absolute beauty and I'm inspired!!!

And here is Mare's perspective; 


In mythology, the hummingbird is a creature that opens the heart. When the hurt that caused us to close our hearts gets a chance to heal, our hearts are free to open again. The hummingbird generally represents a joy of life and playfulness, a resiliency.  Hummingbirds have the amazing ability to fly backwards, and some believe that it teaches us that we can look back on our past, but not to dwell on it and to move forward.... as is the pattern of a hummingbird in flight.  The hummingbird can represent someone that has been through a lot in their life but have the ability to overcome hard times and difficult challenges....It has become a symbol of rising above trouble and hardship.


All creatures, no matter how strong, energetic, positive and resilient...eventually need to rest. They need a place to call home, something to give them the strength to continue, and the simplicity of stopping for a moment and just being.... Without it, they run out of energy, out of inspiration. As with all things, to stop and just let yourself be.... takes trust... a moment of letting your guard down.


The painting for “Hummingbird” is both rough and tender... strong and fragile.... it reminds me of what is in all of us. The overall roughness of the canvas texture is a harsh world for the hummingbird to live in.... as we all live in a rough world at times. The hummingbird and it’s flower are delicate and fragile, they appear stained.... How many of us have felt that way at one time or another?... But one feeds the other, giving energy and taking energy. The hummingbird lives in a harsh world.... but must trust enough to stop... for just a moment... to get what she needs. It’s not a coincidence to me that they are made of music notes and lyrics.  Music.... the RIGHT music.... can feed us, save us, speak to us and soothe us.... The simplicity of a song....A lullaby to end one day, to allow us to trust in just being....moving us through the night, to wake up and live again the next...and Fly... 


This is a link to Lee’s Stageit online concert. the video is from (JoviWyze) Thank you!!! Listen to Lee singing Lullaby here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVTh1JIamig 


and here are the lyrics. Enjoy and thank you!!! 


Now you'll lay me down to sleep

Pray the Lord your soul to keep 

But your heart is safe with me

If I die before I wake

I'm sorry, darling, for every mistake 

I've ever made

 

I could sing you the most beautiful song you've ever heard

You could sing along, you're my hummingbird

But you don't need to sing

I don't need to play, it'll be alright

I just want you to fall asleep tonight

 

This is your lullaby, lullaby

This is your lullaby, lullaby

It's just the way I say goodnight

It'll be okay, it'll be alright

This is your lullaby

 

When you told me you were scared

I was well aware 

That your heart came unprepared

You left it under lock and key

I swear, my dear, that your key is safe with me

Please believe

 

I could sing you the most beautiful song you've ever heard

You could sing along, you're my hummingbird

But you don't need to sing

I don't need to play, it'll be alright

I just want you to fall asleep tonight

 


This is your lullaby, lullaby

This is your lullaby, lullaby

It's just the way I say goodnight

It'll be okay, it'll be alright

This is your lullaby

 

And I could sing you the most beautiful song you've ever heard

You could sing along, you're my hummingbird

You don't need to sing

I don't need to play, it'll be alright

I just want you to fall

I just want you to fall

I just want you to fall asleep tonight

 

It'll be okay, it'll be alright

This is your lullaby

A new approach...



Hello everyone, I am going to take a new approach to explaining my paintings and their inspiration. In my last post for “The Ride” with Mare (@marekatslp), she had said, “It takes a circle of inspiration to create something like this. A Musician that writes a song from his heart and performs it so well that you get lost in a story…An artist that is so in tune with that music that she can create a visual…and a fan that was so affected, that the song had to become “real”…through nothing other than words…”
 
I absolutely LOVE that… you have no idea how accurate and inspiring that quote is all in itself…. It’s true…  So true in fact, that I have decided to do this for all my posts… give you those different view points of how the song, the words, the picture…. How it reaches even more people. That circle continues to grow and it’s amazing to watch.
 
I’ll be continuing my art journey with you by not only showing you my art, explaining the inspiration behind it, the song that inspired it…. But I am also going to be sharing with you the view point of a fellow Lee DeWyze fan, who knows the music, understands the lyrics, and the feeling that songs gives.
 
When you give a visual to someone’s words, it builds a bridge for those words to reach even more people. Even though I find it hard to believe that there are people in the world that do not like music or art… there are, or they might like one or the other but they just do not “get it”
 
I sit hear, telling you how much Lee’s music & lyrics mean to me and some people just can not understand that… I get it. But you bring in someone like Mare, who is a phenomenal writer… to tell you the “story” of how my art connects to the music- you gain the attention of the people who needed that “explanation”.
 
Then there are the people that are visual…they need to see the big picture. This is where what I do pulls those people in. A great song obviously reaches the fans of that musician and other’s that love music in general… but then when you add a picture to those words… you are reaching fellow visual artists who know what it feels like to be inspired- so they will listen to the music to be able to hear what inspired someone to paint it. Without going on and on, you see my point?
 
The last post for “The Ride” made our circle bigger. I rec’d several e-mails from other visual artists that never heard Lee’s music… but they have now and they love it. (How awesome is that!)
Well, I am about to take that a step further…. I’m going to let you HEAR the song… I’m going to let you SEE how that song makes me feel… I’m going to share the thoughts of that “collaboration’ from the view point of someone that loves the art and the music…. But I am also going to introduce you to my sister, Danielle Mazzo. She is going to give her point of view as a person not familiar with the music or Lee himself… and explain how the ART affects her. I’m pretty excited about it.
 
I have a few paintings I will be posting within the next few weeks. After those are posted, I’ll be getting into Lee’s new Album “Frames”. This album is pure perfection and I have a painting for just about every track. I am so excited to share my review of this album though my eyes… literally… have you ever read an album review song by song like a picture book? I’m sure you have not... but I promise you’ll be amazed. Stay tuned….. It’s going to be awesome.
 
-Jenn