Death Cab Coming Soon To A Town Near You

So, even though this is a blog about art and its influence on life, society, blah, blah, blah. I wanted to include yet another tidbit on how art reflects music and vice versa. When I paint I have a playlist that is solely for me to paint. Included on this Itunes playlist is one of my alltime fave bands, Death Cab for Cutie. Death Cab= Ben Gibbard, who is a musical mastermind, I mean the man is a genius and his voice, well you will figure it out for yourself. Anyways one song in particular is brought to mind, especially when I look at this random long exposure photograph of a city street that I found, doesn't it remind you of I Will Possess Your Heart? Its a relatively newer song from Death Cab, but its a great one. Check it out, while looking at this new picture! See what you think. Oh yeah, and the reason I thought of it is because my friends got Death Cab tickets!!

Grimeys/ Great Escape: Great CD Cover Art

In an age where the Compact Disc is slowly becoming something of the past, with Itunes, Amazon.com, and Rhapsody , it is nice to see the art on cds from newer and older bands. After an absolutely delightful cd excursion with some friends saturday, I discovered a category of art that has yet to be developed into its full potential, cd cover art. The designs and pictorials that cover some of the cds nowadays are fantastic! They range from cartoons to serious pictures to intricately drawn landscapes and portraits. The cd covers themselves could easily go in a design portfolio. As an art major, I am always looking at art that isn't traditional, and this definitely fits that. The sarcasm, irony, and comedic value that is expressed in such a small way is truly remarkable. The creative devotion that had to have gone into such clever drawings, is just inspiring. It is yet another way to show how art and music are complementary to each other. Without that aesthetically pleasing picture and intriguing format, we wouldn't even notice cds.  Here's a great example of awesome cover art, The Submarines cd. 

Art can reflect music

There is a lesser known piece called Autumn Landscape, by Vincent Van Gogh its a gorgeous piece. Although that is where the similarity between it and his more famous works ends. It sticks with depicting an autumn scene in earthy tones, nothing like the bright colors that we are used to seeing in his more famous works. (Starry Night, Sunflowers, Self- Portrait) The reason it struck me as interesting, is the immediate thoughts of a song off the nick and norah's infinite playlist soundtrack, the song Speed of Sound By Chris Bell. For some reason when I saw this painting that song came immediately to mind. I don't know why but it did. Following that, half the Almost Famous Soundtrack came to mind. I think it is the fact that even though the landscape is unlike most of Van Gogh famous works, it is unlike many typical landscapes of that period. For instance in comparison to Van Gogh's landscape, any of the many outdoor scenes that Monet painted or Renoir. The lightness and "sweetness" could fall off the page. In Van Gogh's however, it is obvious he painted with a completely different spirit.  It is dark and somewhat angry unlike the typical spring depictions of nature. 

This isn't art but what the hell!

So I was doing the Let Freedom Sing Concert here in Nashville, TN last night and our guest singer was none other than Melinda Doolittle, the real American Idol. Anyways it was so much fun and my brother about had a conniption when we finally found her after the concert. It was nuts. Anyway I met her and got take pictures with her. Now here's is why this has somewhat to do with art. In front of schermerhorn symphony center, there is a large fountain that i have seen before but never really paid attention to until that night. Its been freezing in Nashville, and it was obvious from the fountain, but in my opinion that just made it better! The water from the fountain is an enthusiastic depiction of excitement, it's a free billboard announcing to all what can be found in the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. All in all, one great night.

again he said

wow! two in one day! 

well anyways, I wanted to comment on my chosen profile picture for this week. Egon Schiele's painting, Donna Seduta. The first thing that screams out at you while looking at this work in particular, is the realism. Egon Schiele is most known for his erotic expressionist portrayals of himself, and others. This piece in particular is quite realistic and not at all erotic. There is the woman's slight state of undress, (by the decorum standards of the time.) but compared to most of Schiele's other works there is nothing illicit about it. The woman is painted almost demurely, when in fact she was supposed to be a prostitute/ seductress of some kind. The painting is beautifully light and pretty, which is also another difference between it and others in Schiele's collection. "A beauty in the rough," most of Schiele's paintings are proud of their grotesque and somewhat beautiful-ugly images. Now this piece is completely opposite which explains why it is one his most well-known works around the world. The poor thing, he died before he was thirty. He was also a somewhat odd looking fellow, what do you think? 

Starting Now

Today I am creating a blog. My roommate and another friend of mine both have blogs and I figured why not? I want to be an artist a third of the time, a lawyer a third of the time, and a writer for the rest. (I chose thirds because they are the easier to separate) So, I am hopefully going to influence whoever reads this blog to A) have a deeper comprehension of art that is typically under-appreciated/ over analyzed; and B) understand in the opinion of an art student  exactly what is art and what is hysterical. If you hate art, maybe this will change your mind. Its interesting, blogs are like diaries that you let people read. Every week or so, I will post a different profile picture and write a paragraph about it. Throughout the week, not only will I continue to comment on it, but I will also look for things in my life that remind of this painting. Either in color, size, location, etc. everything in the world represents something else its just a matter of finding it. In the eternal words of  Scott Adams, "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.  Art is knowing which ones to keep."