What A Wonderful World (Joined Into the Art)

It's easy to see the world as a dark, frightening place full of danger around every corner.  The media delivers a constant barrage of warnings from tainted food to political scams, to severe weather alerts and danger on the internet.  There's a vague undercurrent of fear and anxiety looming over us like storm clouds.

I chose to see the bright side of life.  I chose to see the beauty of the world in which I reside and I chose to participate in the goodness of people and share in the love and humanity that abound in all corners of this vast earth.

I  know that I'm not alone in this experience, for I have met a multitude of wonderful people from every aspect of life.  I can say that although some viewpoints may differ, mutual respect and admiration is plentiful, and I have found this to be especially true among my fellow artists.

I was honored to be asked to participate in a global collaboration of artists in the making of this video.  That I can meet so many wonderful people without leaving the comfort of my home is a marvel.  These are exciting times in which we live, and indeed, what a wonderful world!



My sincere thanks to 69sottosopra for creating this beautiful video and his lovely rendition of Louis Armstrong's, "What A Wonderful World".

Art and Music

I'm often asked if I listen to music when I'm painting and if so, what kind. I always listen to music when I'm painting and my selections are greatly varied. I've heard that smells are the strongest triggers of memory. If that's true, I'd have to say that music runs a close second. I can't begin to imagine my life without it.

Fortunately, most of my memories triggered by music are happy, joyful memories. When I hear Chubby Checker's, "The Twist", I am whisked back in time to our tiny apartment and playing my toy piano. The Moody Blue's, "Tuesday Afternoon", takes me back to my pre-teens and memories of crisp, cool country air and the first warm sunny days of spring. When I hear music from "The Nutcracker", I am filled with warm memories of being in the kitchen late night with Mom as she made special Christmas candies and cakes. There are songs and music that trigger memories of every friend and relationship I ever had, and every memorable experience I've ever had comes complete with it's own musical score.




So, when I paint I'm pretty particular about the music I'm listening to. Often times, I pick theme related music. I recently painted a large banner that was a tribute to some of the artists that have had a great influence on me. I listened to Latin music when I worked on Frida Kahlo and Picasso. When I was working on Monet and VanGogh, I listened to classical music. When I painted Basquiat, the choice was jazz.

No matter what I'm painting, I select my music with the same consideration I give to my paints and subject matter. Sometimes I select music to enhance my mood, at other times music may be selected to alter my mood. Music has and always will be an integral part of my life and a necessity in the creation of my art.