Dear Lee DeWyze & FamiLee:

I'm Happy Thanksgiving ! 

 

Lee, I want to take this time to let you know how Thankful I am to you for sharing your gift with us. 

Thank you for inspiring me and bringing out this love of creating that I have never had before. 

Thank you for creating a soundtrack for my life

Thank you for bringing so many amazing people into my life, I cannot imagine a single day without them. 

 

I also want to Thank the entire FamiLee…Thank you for welcoming me into your group the way you did…. Making traveling for shows fun and getting excited about my art and encouraging me to create more. You are all amazing!!!! 

With today being Thanksgiving and everyone posting what they are thankful for and with the upcoming Holiday wishes coming up…. I have one for you…. I would love nothing more than for this fandom to get back to where we were… all working as one to promote and encourage Lee. “Pass the peas..” remember??  I know everyone is busy, trust me…. but I miss that. I miss when no one competed for attention or who is the biggest fan and who goes to the most shows or RT’s the most for radio play…. I think he has made himself so accessible to us that we take it for granted now. He is busy making his dreams come true and balancing a home life with Jonna as well ( also, thank you Jonna for your encouragement and being his Rock & inspiration ) 

We know he appreciates all of us but there is no way he can make time for us ALL the time. lol, heck when I get to sit down and check twitter, I am sometimes way too tired to get into conversations. Grown up life is hectic…. We all know that. Imagine how He feels.... He may seem quiet sometimes.. But I'm sure it's only because he is working so hard on his music which we all are excited for right? 

 

I want us to get back to making this about LEE… welcoming new fans, spreading the word and love of his music. He has a new album coming out soon, so now is the perfect time to come back together! I watched the AMA’s the other night and um… not to be bias, but Lee is way better than anyone on there and next year he could be up there. He deserves it!  

A friend found the most perfect quote:

“Music has a great power for bringing people together. With other forces in this world acting to drive wedges between people, it’s important to preserve those things that help us experience our common humanity.” – Ted Turner, Turner Broadcasting System

Happy Holidays Everyone!!! 

Much love ❤️

 

The thing about music is....

We are all addicted to something that makes the pain go away or make you feel anything... 

............Mine is music...........

No matter what kind of music you listen to, you listen to it for a reason. There is something about it that you relate to, you enjoy the way it makes you feel….

To me, it is inconceivable that there can be people out there that do not like any kind of music.  I think the world needs music. There is something about it that is just magical, don’t you agree? 

Music therapy has been proven to be 70% more effective than antidepressants.  I know this for a fact because I spent most of my teens on them and they did nothing to help..but music did. 

Music can heal emotional wounds, boost your self -esteem, help you release stress, wind down and connect with other people that feel connected to it the same way you do…  See …Magic. 

 

Now I post all the time about what inspires me. You all know by now that the music and lyrics of Lee DeWyze inspire me. It inspires me to create pictures to bring his songs to life.  When I listen to his voice and words, I just see them. Then I put them on paper and share them with the world.

Why? 

I do not do it so that everyone knows who I am….

I do not have any plans on being a full time artist to pay the bills (let’s face it, I’m an ok artist, but not great. Ha ha) …

And I do not do it for the attention of Lee either….

 

The reason is quite simple: 

I do this because when I hear Lee DeWyze’s stunning voice and brilliant song writing; I get an overwhelming feeling that I need to express how it makes me feel. His music is like, the art of the soul, in my opinion it's a true expression of how music is supposed to make a person feel. 

Now, do I love the fact that Lee and his fans love my work? Yes, of course.  Do I get even more inspired to continue by their encouragement and support? Yes, but my main goal and purpose is to get the art and the stories out to people that may not be fans of Lee...yet;  people that have not heard of him before or people that just assume he is too “pop” since he was on American Idol. 

 

I still have hope for people… that they can still be inspired and appreciate true beauty and raw talent, not just brain washed music fans that love whatever the radio tells them they will love. I want those people to read these blog posts, see my art and be intrigued enough to go listen to him. I want them to listen for themselves and see what makes someone feel that strongly about an artist. What makes them fall so deeply in love with the sound of a voice or melody. 

THAT is my main goal

 

I am asking that if you are reading this, you please share it, re-tweet and post to anyone else that might read it as well. If you are a fan of music, any kind….you should understand where I am coming from. 

 

I am pretty passionate about the subject. I’d also love to hear what inspires you! A friend sent me a quote that she read somewhere that just fits. I am not sure who said it; 

“I am a firm believer that there is no wrong way to create. We should all follow our muses into scary, unfamiliar places, know the values and themes that make our individual hearts sing, and then weave them into our work” 

……I love this and feel that is what I have  been doing throughout Lee’s music journey thus far. 

 

I love ALL kinds of music. On any day if you took the ear buds from my ears to hear what I am listening to, I guarantee you’d have a hard time putting my tastes in a category: I can go from Lee DeWyze… to gangster rap… to Social distortion…to Disturbed…to Taylor Swift and then have an all-out 90’s dance party in my head.  As far as favorites, anyone that knows me will tell you  that when they hear LIVE, Poe or Lee DeWyze, they think of me.

 

 

I love all three of them, but in different ways. I have always been a LIVE fan infatuated with Ed Kowalczyk  ha-ha, Poe-  because she just “got me”. She was haunting and different and I just adored her (still do!) and then there is Lee who is just special. Lee’s music has found a place in my heart and soul that I never knew music can reach. I honestly have never been truly inspired before, which is why I am so fascinated about the subject. It’s an unreal feeling when it happens… That is something you want to share and want people to understand. 

 

Please check out Lee’s music… you will not be sorry. And new music is on its way and trust me, it’s amazing! 

 

Here is the link for Lee DeWyze’s website: http://leedewyzeofficial.com/

 

 

 Thank you for listening! 

-Jenn 

"Stone" by Lee DeWyze ... Reimagined ...

I'm back..... 

With Lee DeWyze being my muse, 99.9% of my art is a collaborative effort. Obviously he & I don't actually work together...but he creates stories that inspire me to bring them to life....that's collaborating, right? 

There are times when he is too busy or wants to just chill and can't keep up on social media. I don't blame him, but selfishly I must say...those times hit me hard. I mean, he IS my sole source for inspiration so when I hear nothing... I get unmotivated and uninspired. I do wish I didn't need him in order to create...but sadly, I do... 

I've been down lately, unable to create or draw or anything. I just wasn't feeling it... Until last week when my friend Mare told me about how SHE was listening to Lee and had a visual. She was very specific ...when she explained the scene to me, to me...it's basically a "continuation" of "Stone". She was listening to the song and had a visual of me, not being able to create , the lyric that struck her being "And I can feel no more...." And me lying by that river "where he threw his stone". I fell in love with this idea immediately ... I created an entire scene. Funny thing is, when Mare told me her idea I pictured a different lying position and ended up changing it. Without knowing, the pose I chose was the exact one she pictured! The circle of inspiration came full circle once again!!! 

Below is the original sketch to accompany the song "Stone" by Lee DeWyze: 

And here is my sketch after talking to Mare: 

After playing with some apps, I merged both sketches so they created a full story ; and Mare ( who is an amazing writer, wrote a line for my sketch) ...... It allows the song to take on a whole new meaning! Letting you SEE how I actually feel when I'm waiting to hear more of what he is working on, waiting to feel that energy and passion he puts into everything he does... I love that! I love that someone else "gets" it enough to  "see" it and allow me to bring it to life.....  

Thank you Mare! This is why I love you!!! 

-Jenn 

Throw back Thursday

Fact: I am an artist. I went to art school. 

I went almost 7 years without creating and was fine with it- gave it no thought. 

Since I first heard Lee Dewyze’s voice on American Idol in 2010 ….. 5 years ago…. My mind has been flooded with images, giving me a primal need to draw, paint and create. All of a sudden, this skill I had since I was little suddenly MADE SENSE, it has a purpose…. In that 5 years, I have created:

* painted 20 Paintings inspired by him voice, music and lyrics

*754 sketches which fills several sketchbooks- accompanied by millions of notes and ideas

 

I kinda think that this  is proof that Inspiration exists, don’t you?? 

I NEED that music to create…. More than air…. And if you’ve ever been truly inspired by something or someone.. you’ll understand, if not… then I sound crazy and I’m ok with that also. 

 

Works in Progress & East Coast Lee DeWyze Shows next week!

Hello Everyone! 

I apologize for being so quiet lately. Lots going on with My son’s BMX racing, work, etc. 

Hopefully I will have some art to post in the near future. I HAVE been working on a personal painting, so hopefully that will be done soon.  I also have two commission pieces that are in the works so I have been busy busy busy. I have a Lee show coming up next week and that always launches the sketching into super mode… so we ready. 

I hope is well and I’ll be posting more soon! 

 

This show will be at the Sellersville Theater in Sellersville PA with Leslie DiNicola on Tuesday 9/22/15. Here is the link to get your VIP and GA tickets : 

VIP: http://www.st94.com/event/905605/

GA: http://www.st94.com/event/905581/

 It is a beautiful venue. Hopefully I see you there!

 

Also, check out Lee's site for a show near you!!! http://leedewyzeofficial.com

Amazing....

Hi everyone! 

Just a quick note as I sit here watching all the videos from Lee DeWyze's show tonight ( thank you ladies!) .... This man is amazing; a true songwriter. His words...voice.... And passion are overwhelming. How can you NOT be inspired by him? I mean, seriously....I just don't have the words, just sitting here in awe because that's what his music does. 

...thanks all.... Good night 

"Open your eyes" & stuff ....

 

Hello everyone! 

I realize it has been a while since my last post. Work has been so crazy I barely have time to scroll through any social media unless someone specifically sends me something and I have also been trying to work more on ME but exercising more and all that jazz. 

I have done a few sketches in the meantime though: 

 

But the truth is, I have been kind of in a creative funk. I sit down to create and I just feel like I can’t some days. Those days are extremely hard for me and make me sad. I think it is mostly stress from everyday life like work, grown up things , etc.  However, then I have days where I cannot concentrate on anything else. I just have all these ideas flying at me and I end up spending an entire day writing ideas down on sticky notes. I love that though. Those days are ONLY brought on by Lee DeWyze music and when I am in a lull… I crave it. Does that make me an addict? If you could FEEL the way I do at times like this.. you’d be too. 

So I sit here, nervously tapping my foot and anxiously awaiting new music from Lee to get lost in. I am so excited. 

Hopefully this funk will end, as I have a show coming up soon. 

 

I had this idea the other day that I was pretty excited about. After my last sketch ; I noticed that I only have about 20-25 more pages left in this book. After those are filled, I will have filled 3 entire sketchbooks with about 200 pages per book. That is A LOT of inspiration. SO I was thinking…. I create images inspired by Lee DeWyze music and lyrics that touch me and I try my best over and over again to explain to you how special they are to me. haha, all joking aside…. I am a pretty complex person. There are LOTS of things you do not know about me, the things that brought me to be the person I have become or why certain things me so much to me. 

Now, granted I will always have parts of me that will always be locked instead. I found the perfect quote to explain why that is:  “I’m very picky with whom I give my energy to. I prefer to reserve my time, intensity and spirit exclusively to those who reflect sincerity”- Dau Voire. …. And even then I’m guarded, Always have been. 

 

Anyway, despite that; I have decided to make my next sketchbook a true Art journal. I am pretty excited about it and a little nervous at the same time. I plan to start out with a self-portrait and my artist’s statement. After that each page is going to give you a little bit of me and an image that reminds me of it. Family life, things that always made me feel safe, biggest fears, favorite things, quotes, etc.  

 

I have a feeling by sharing that stuff, you’ll be able to relate to my work more and understand why those particular lyrics touched me, or understand why I love horror so much or anything creepy. Obviously there will still be hundreds of Lee inspired drawings because they are such a huge part of me. You’ll maybe understand why I’d choose Lee’s song “Open your eyes” as the theme song of my life.

If you were watching a movie about my life, “Open your eyes” would definitely be softly playing in the background to enhance the dramatic narrative and the emotional impact of most of the scenes. (I told you I was complicated): 

“Open your eyes
You’ve gotta see the truth to see the lies…” , “You’ve gotta feel the lows to feel the high”, “What’s coming over me? I can barely breathe. Everyone can see. Everyone but me” , “Open you heart
Put together, what you tore apart?”

 

See? Deep and so fitting. The most important line though? “Remember where I end and where you start…”That’s always been important to me because like everyone else, when you get into relationships both romantic and friendships…. People lose a little bit of themselves and blur that line. I’ve been guilty of that several times. I have been finding “Me” again in my art and Lee’s music and let me tell you something: I love my life. I have an amazing husband that loves me, and amazing son and friends that have seen me through everything… but I missed “me”. 

The other day when I thought of this new sketchbook theme, I was telling mare about it and her response pretty much made my heart burst, like her words usually do: “Understanding a person’s art, whatever medium that is, is understanding them. Knowing their heart. When you find the heart in something, you find inspiration, you find connection, and even pieces of yourself... “  I LOVE that. It is so true.  What would your theme song be? Are you able to recognize choices you’ve made when you were not being yourself? What would YOUR biography look like if it was sketched out? I am extremely excited to see mine. 

 

-Jenn