Painting to Music

Do you listen to music when you’re creating?

I do and I want to share with you two of my favorite websites that are always playing my music.

If I don’t have specific music in mind, but just a rough idea of “electronic mood music with no lyrics” or  “introspective” or “hypnotic ocean waves” or “drinking at a dive bar” 😉 , then I select the website songza.com

All the music is “made by an expert team of music critics, DJs, musicians, and musicologists” and includes over 2 thousand playlists.

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Painting a series of musical events from the Rebekah in Bear River.

When I am concentrating on my subject; especially in the beginning of the work, I prefer instrumental music because I find lyrics too distracting. There is a certain amount of tension about getting to a place where there is only color and texture and a creative flow. Sometimes, the music can help me get to that place faster.

Starting with a feeling of colour.
Starting with a feeling of colour.
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I work with fluid acrylics in plastic, lidded containers in muffin tins. And LOTS of medium. This is a tulip series that I finished and delivered this week to Catfish Moon in Annapolis Royal.

If I have a specific band in mind, then I go to jango.com  Like Songza, they bundle playlists and match your chosen musician with similar music.

The work of Marconi Union is ethereal and moody and it really helps me to get in the ‘zone’. If there is a musician reading this perhaps you have the vocabulary or understanding to tell me why this is. All I know is that their music helps me enter a creative space where nothing exists but my close observation of the subject and the moving of the paint on the canvas or paper.

My daughter Emily introduced me to this group several years ago. The kids are good for that. 😉

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Drawing into wet watercolour paper with charcoal and watercolour crayons.

Sometimes even music is too distracting. Thats when I open the window and listen to the birds or the frogs/peepers.

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I started this large painting outside last summer and am working on it this week.

One thought on “Painting to Music

  1. Well I don’t even have ay music on because it’s late at night, but looking at your
    work makes me feel like dancing. I am singing in my head, and thank you, thank
    you, thank you for the delightful tip.

    Your work is soooo beautiful. It also makes me want to paint.

    You rock Flora,

    XOXOXOXO Barbara

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