I seem to have jumped ahead in time. Well, I never did declare that I was going to be moving in chronological order. While I have primarily been listening to Murmur (1983) and Reckoning (1984), All the Way to Reno (Reveal, 2001) shuffled its way into my head during an afternoon walk today, and the images flooded my imagination so quickly that I had to shortcut my way back to work and jot them down before they vanished.
The result is a little bit more girly and whimsical than I had intended, but I think that probably comes from my own girlhood dreams of fame, running away to join a band and sing... or play the tambourine. I could have been a tambourine girl. My uncle bought me a red star-shaped tambourine when I was 16. It never made it out of my bedroom.
(click to enlarge)
This is a sketched-over foot selfie (sans tri-star tattoo) taken more years ago than I care to admit. Those were my favourite dancing shoes. I still have them. My sapphire slippers. There's no place like anyplace else.
I don't know what is happening with these location sketches. It's not planned... but I guess I just have to let the theme run its course. I kind of like it though... nothing wrong with doing a series.
Credits
Reproduction, altered: Google Map; Southwestern USA.
Hiya. Right. I haven't found my groove yet. So this post is going to be awkward. First posts are always like that, all "Hi, nice to meetcha, do you like things of an enjoyable nature, too?". You're here, so I assume we have at least one thing in common. So let me get right to it. Oh, did you read the Inspiration for this blog? Do you care? No? Okay. On with the show, this is it! This piece... ugh. I'm referring to my own art as a "piece". I hate that. It sounds so pretentious. Nevertheless, I suppose that's the official term. A-hem. This piece is inspired by the song West of the Fields, the final track from R.E.M.'s first full-length album, Murmur (1983).
(Click to enlarge)
The lyric "West of the fields" is repeated multiple times in the song's chorus, but to my ears, it sounds like "West of Steeles". I'm putting this down to the fact that, for a year and a half, I lived at the intersection of Kipling Avenue and Steeles Avenue West in North Etobicoke, Ontario. That's fairly recent history to me, and so a map of that area always flashes through my mind when I listen to the song.
I had actually intended to create this piece in the real live physical world, using paint, and a map, and ink and paper stressing techniques, but I'm moving house in 2 weeks and I already packed all my art supplies. So instead, I arted over a Google map using Pixlr Express and MS Paint. The overlayed transparencies are photographs I took of the Rosedale Station tiles and a close up of my craptacularly cute Crosley turntable case. Visual inspiration for this piece has come from the work of Stephen Andrews, who has a spectularly beautiful exhibit going on at the Art Gallery of Ontario, right now, right right now, go go go see it!
Credits
Reproduction, altered: Google Map; intersection of Steeles Avenue West and Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke, Ontario.
