WHY I think you should listen to Lee DeWyze...

Hello everyone. I have a follow up to the last artist's muse post. The story below this sketch will explain it, I just did this tonight and it's called "synergy"

Have you ever had a creative soul mate? Not as in “you are my soul mate I love you lets get married ” kind of way…. But someone you are in sync with on the creative level ... It exists almost everywhere.... I guess a less dramatic name could be synergy. 

Synergy; an abstract concept, is the combination of multiple ingredients producing a result greater than the simple arithmetic summation of the individual components.
For example; flour, water, yeast, and heat yield bread. Or in this case: a songwriters mind, talent , an artist and the passion to bring that music to life. 
(That at least is what I HOPE describes my art...because that IS the point)  

I want to share something with you... I'm not always "on" when it comes to my art, sometimes I am just blocked and it sucks. Like last night, I wanted to create soooo bad, but I just had no drive, no ideas that had me excited, so I drew a flower. When this happens I kind of get in a funk. I don't expect everyone to understand that, but I just get this heaviness in my chest, and almost sad.... But then, outta nowhere... Lee will post something about going to the studio, and that's all it takes..... Just like today's tweet. Seriously, wish I understood it, but I don't..... But knowing that he is in there, creating music...it fuels creativity on an insane level.....the image of this sketch just popped into my head without warning. When this happens, it makes me so happy. 

I read a quote on Pinterest the other night about soul mates. But I didn't interpret it in a romantic manner.... It was almost quite possibly the most accurate thing I've seen that can describe the feeling I get when I listen to Lee's music and when I visualize what I sketch or paint . 

It's like I have a connection to the combination of the lyrics, music and his voice. I almost feel like I've BEEN there, ya know? Hard to explain... But that's exactly what being inspired feels like... I feel the songs, I feel his voice and I just feel comfortable there.... It's instinctual. That's why it's so important to me to explain it to you over & over again because I've never experienced that kind of creative flow before. It's why I'm so passionate about getting the word out about him and his music... It's not fair that the rest of the world can't feel this when they hear his music.... I mean, that talent needs to be HEARD ....by everyone. This is why I paint, this is why I blog about it. Trust me, I do not like to be in the public eye, I'm not doing this for me..... I'm doing this to bring you closer to this amazing music. One of the greatest songwriters I've ever seen. I really do truly believe that. I believe in Lee DeWyze. ....and you will too! 

Hope this brings you one step closer into why I am so inspired. 

Good Night xoxo 

-Jenn 

Ps: speaking of connections and synergy...I posted a picture for Throwback Thursday of my Frames painting. A week after I finished, my advance copy of Lee's Frames album came out...and the art on the inside sleeve was freaky close to what I had painted.... I posted this, and Jess K commented...it fit this post do well... I'm adding it. Thank you Jess !!! 

A Visual album review of Lee DeWyze "Frames" - track #3 Silver Lining

 

This painting is my interpretation of Track # 3- Silver Lining. Not gonna lie, this one is going to be hard to describe. Ever have thoughts that make so much sense in your head, then when you have to say them out loud people are like, “huh?” – That is this one.

The definition of Silver Lining is a hopeful or comforting prospect in the midst of difficulty. This is pretty much straight forward. As always, the lulling voice of Lee DeWyze is telling you a story… a story of two people being there for each other to turn things around just when they need it. He never disappoints…. I love this song. The amount of compassion in that man’s voice and lyrics never cease to amaze me. (insert dreamy sigh here) …but anyway…

To create a visual scene to get this point across the only way I can describe it is this….Imagine you had an awful day, or things just aren’t going the way you planned. But then you have this amazing conversation with someone that picks up on that and turns your whole mood around. They find the positive in that situation, or it could have just been their presence that turned that unhappy situation into a comforting and hopeful one. Does that make sense? I wanted to portray that feeling of having an amazing, insightful and calming conversation with someone that picks you up, rather then make it worse or also wallow in whatever funk you were in to begin with.

My original intent was to have a realistic painting; however one day I was sitting at my son’s BMX practice listening to “Silver Lining” and just started sketching. Well, more like doodling at this point…

Obviously the people on the bench came from the first line of the song, “Remember when I met you on the park bench”    And the clouds…. It’s about silver linings…duh… haha

Well, it started out as stick figures... then as I added more to bring it to life I decided that I LOVED that look… keeping it raw because lets face it, the best conversations are raw & compassionate. Right? I felt the “sketchy” look showed you that.

Why are there no faces you ask? (Sorry Claire J !) But there are 2 reasons there are no faces:

1. Not gonna lie... I am horrible at faces…
2. I love the idea of letting the gestures tell the story. If you get the gestures and body language down… who needs to see the facial expressions… the emotion is out there and in my opinion even more honest than a smile, etc.                            …That’s my story and I’m sticking to it….

 

 Here is Mare's point of view based on knowing the music: 

Silver Lining

Silver Lining is pretty straight forward to me... both the song and the art. As I mentioned in the previous post, I got to see this painting and hear Jenn’s thoughts from sketch to canvas (actually, it’s that way for the rest of the album). I’m eternally grateful for unlimited texting plans....

Jenn’s vision of this song is essentially the same as mine.... We shared a brain often during this whole process... I should apologize to her for the state of my mind sometimes (haha). 

Instead of re-stating everything Jenn said, I’ll tell you about my favorite part of this painting. She pointed out the lack of detail in the faces. To me, the lack of detail, the sketch format.... IS the detail. It could be anyone.... A shadow of a thought. A memory. Two friends, turned towards each other... The give and take of a conversation, a relationship. 

The music and lyrics create the story in Silver Lining, starting slow and melodic, building to a faster pace and stronger vocals... returning to slow and melodic... then faster and stronger again. That’s life isn’t it? The ups and downs...finding a person to show you the positive in those down times and lifting you up and reminding you there’s always a Silver Lining... to make you stronger again.....

Here is Danielle's view based on the art alone: 

Silver Linings....ok so this painting is right up there with Hummingbird for me. Silver Linings to me is about beginnings...maybe the beginning of love..maybe the beginning of friendship or just simply the beginning of finding yourself! When I look at this painting I see a confidence in the male by his body language the way he props his arm on the bench and how his legs face his lady friend! His posture screams relief like he has finally been able to breathe...like this woman gives him a chance to be himself.  

You can see & hear Lee DeWyze singing "Silver Lining" here: in studio video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgo145PHW0I

Lyrics for Silver Lining: 

Remember when, I met you on the park bench

And you smiled at me, and said that we should be friends

'Cause I was drowning there upon the dry land

You sat beside and put your hand in my hand

So you picked me up and you put me in a straight line

You looked at me, and said that it would be fine

If we take the time, to find, the silver lining

We can make these cryin' waters into wine

And We'll be alright

And we'll be alright

They, they don't know our hearts

They, won't break us apart

We, we don't have so much but

We, all we need is us

Remember when, I found you on the cold ground

You were looking up as the sky was looking down

And you said that you were jealous of the bright stars

I said darling you'll be brighter than they all are

And then I picked you up and I put you in a straight line

I looked at you, and said that it would be fine

If we take the time, to find, the silver lining

We can make these cryin' waters into wine

And We'll be alright

And we'll be alright

(1,2,3,4)

They, they don't know our hearts

They, won't break us apart

We, we don't have so much but

We, all we need is us

If we take the time, to find, the Silver Lining