This is another of the pieces that are in the upcoming Little Gems exhibit at the West End Gallery in Corning. This little guy is titled Serenata Blue and is a just a bit larger that 2″ by 4″ on paper. It’s a continuation of the recent snow paintings as well as another of my solitary guitarist pieces, of which I do a handful each year.
There’s something very appealing to me in the solitary guitarist standing amidst open space as he cradles his guitar. It usually brings me a wistful, somewhat sad feeling. Not in a bad way sad. Just a slight existential melancholy. You know, the good kind.
I thought that there should be some appropriate musical accompaniment to this painting so I came up with a sad song. And I mean sad. This Nancy Griffith’s version of Tecumseh Valley. It’s an achingly beautiful and sad lament that tells the story of a poor mountain girl. To make this version even sadder, this is from a tribute show from the friends of the song’s writer, the great Townes Van Vandt, right after he passed away in 1997. But it is a haunting and lovely song so don’t be afraid to listen.
Redtree Times 