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Archive for July, 2013

She Slips Away

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, tagged , on July 3, 2013| 3 Comments »

GC Myers- Bluesunblues I was on the road yesterday, going out to Erie. The drive out there takes around three and a half hours, most of it on wide, empty highway going through some of the more sparsely populated parts of New York.  Many people don’t think of NY as having such emptiness and space.  It’s an easy drive, one that allows you to listen fully to music. I spent my drive listening to a lot of things, really taking them in. I listened a few times to Michael Mattice‘s new CD, Comin’ Home, that I have mentioned here recently.  It’s his debut effort and really showcases his special talents as a singer-songwriter  and a top flight guitarist wonderfully.  Mike creates an amazing full and deep sound with his playing on this CD  which has it gathering a lot attention as it’s #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases for Acoustic Blues.  I urge you to check it out.

I also listened to one of my favorites, guitarist Martin Simpson.  Like Michael, his work is marked by its full and rich texture.  Just great stuff.  Here’s She Slips Away, a song that I think really captures the essence of his playing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQELHWJTdRU

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Labyrinth

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, Neat Stuff, tagged , , on July 2, 2013| 3 Comments »

labyrinth_sketchI am on the road today, visiting my good friends at the Kada Gallery in Erie.  One of the paintings that I am taking out to them has a distinct labyrinth-like pattern in it, a twisting maze that always captures my attention.  I love the idea of  it as an analogy for many of us for the journey through this life, seeking an unseen, and often unknown,  goal.  We travel ahead on a path that takes twists and turns and often we find ourselves feeling as though we are within reach of that central goal only to find that the next turn has taken us as far away as we can imagine.  And vice versa, we often feel adrift and lost only  to suddenly find that the goal is suddenly there before us.

There’s something very balancing in thinking of life in this way.  You become wary of the highs and lows, knowing that one’s fortune  can spin on a dime.

Here’s an interesting video showing the constructs of several different labyrinths, all accompanied by a chorus with a basso profundo that gives the whole thing some real weight. Enjoy and make  a labyrinth for yourself!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI49m3iobYU

 

 

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A Painting of Kingly Proportions

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, tagged , , , , , , , on July 1, 2013| 1 Comment »

Embarkation_of_Henry_VIII at Dover- Basire PrintI saw this painting on a PBS program about Henry VIII and Hampton Court.  It’s a massive painting, nearly 5 1/2 feet tall by 11 feet  long, titled The Embarkation of Henry VIII at Dover, commissioned by the king to commemorate a 1520 meeting at Calais with him and French king Francis I.  It was a goodwill mission of sorts, trying to increase the bonds of friendship between the countries after a recent treaty.  Of course, only a couple of years later they were at war.  But while diplomacy may have failed at least an epic piece of art came from the whole thing.

The painting has been attributed to a number of painters over the ages, most notably Han Holbein, though nowadays its maker is listed as unknown.  But what a dynamic and energetic painting!  The color is bold and bright and the composition filled with movement throughout.  I love the exaggeration of size and scale, which gives the epic scene have a more personal, human feel.

I woke up thinking about this painting.  It makes me want to get out the stretcher bars and canvas and start another big piece. I know that they are not practical in many ways but there is something in the sheer size and space that just excites me and starts the creative fountain.

We’ll see…

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