Music and Mood
I can’t paint without music.
Well, that’s not true - I can, but I really like to set the scene with music. Before every painting session, I dance around my studio with the music booming as I get set up. It helps me get grounded and decide which mood I’m going for.
Taking this time is an important step in embodying the feeling of what I’m about to paint.
Feeling on Canvas
The mood in my art is almost always something that I’m picking up from the music I’m listening to. I truly let it affect me, and it transports me into the feeling that I want to convey to you in the art.
If I want you to feel active when looking at the painting, like you want to continue on and see what’s around the corner, I’ll pick music that I used to run to, matching every beat on the pavement to the beat of the music. Strong tempo, and catchy lyrics are necessary, I must sing along.
For upbeat energy, I lean on hip hop, EDM, and house music. Now that my physical body can’t dance in the ways I might want it to, my paint brush dances instead. The strokes that come about are pretty interesting sometimes.
For mystery and darkness, I’ll pick something dramatic like heavy metal music. On the flipside, for something more ethereal or enchanting, I’ll throw on instrumentals or folk.
The last big show I built was for a wellness clinic, and I wanted the art to evoke a peacefulness. I listened to a lot of soul and soft jazz that made me feel calm and at ease.
Pretty fucking powerful, eh?
Giving In to the Process
Creation is not easy. And once I discovered that my art was highly affected by music, I’ve been using it as an intentional tool ever since.
Maybe anyone could do this, but I believe it’s a gift. It allows me to be present while I express all of the energy that’s flowing through my body.
Music moves and holds me through my day, and without it, I don’t think I’d move as well. By creating this process that I’m familiar with, it signals the pathways in my brain that move me into my work mode.
And I really think you can tell the difference when I’m not listening to music - there’s no rhythm. And that rhythm is the biggest selling feature of my art.
If you currently have one of my paintings, take a moment to pause and look at it. Can you feel the music?
