Music has always been a big part of both my life (which I sort of had before )and artistic process. As the majority of my work is created as an improvised stream of conscience, drawn with black India, start to finish, without any corrections ever, I often enjoy working to my own private score. Over the years my quest for interesting rhythms has sent me far far away from what the mainstream has deemed music, as a boring repetitive song often inspires artwork of similar merit. These pen and ink portraits were inspired by and made while listening to some of my favourite jazz giants. I like working to this kind of music because it always sends me off in different directions. The practice of playing tunes in my studio also became an integral part of both my street and public performances where I could use the sounds to
accelerate and energise the live mural painting and audience members alike. (It was particularly fun blasting HOT RATS at city hall and PLASTIC PEOPLE out in the shopping district on Queen West.)
Trane's "my favourite things" featuring Pharaoh Saunders, from the village vanguard was always a favourite thing to play early in the morning on Queen West. People would be just waking up, headed to work, or partaking in early morning tourism, when these wonderfully horrific and (to the unsuspecting ear) apparently indecipherable squelches would encompass the side walks. The best part is as the music becomes almost intolerable and someone is always about to approach and reproach me the whole mess culminates in the most exquisite and recognizable refrain of the once upon a time pretty melody known as my favourite things. It melts even the most skeptical of nay-
sayer's! I guess I really enjoy messing with people, they have got to learn somehow! For those unaware the portraits above are of Louis Armstrong, the MAGUS Miles Davis, and John Coltrane.
Music has always been a big part of both my life (which I sort of had before )and artistic process. As the majority of my work is created as an improvised stream of conscience, drawn with black India, start to finish, without any corrections ever, I often enjoy working to my own private score. Over the years my quest for interesting rhythms has sent me far far away from what the mainstream has deemed music, as a boring repetitive song often inspires artwork of similar merit. These pen and ink portraits were inspired by and made while listening to some of my favourite jazz giants. I like working to this kind of music because it always sends me off in different directions. The practice of playing tunes in my studio also became an integral part of both my street and public performances where I could use the sounds to accelerate and energise the live mural painting and audience members alike. (It was particularly fun blasting HOT RATS at city hall and PLASTIC PEOPLE out in the shopping district on Queen West.)
Trane's "my favourite things" featuring Pharaoh Saunders, from the village vanguard was always a favourite thing to play early in the morning on Queen West. People would be just waking up, headed to work, or partaking in early morning tourism, when these wonderfully horrific and (to the unsuspecting ear) apparently indecipherable squelches would encompass the side walks. The best part is as the music becomes almost intolerable and someone is always about to approach and reproach me the whole mess culminates in the most exquisite and recognizable refrain of the once upon a time pretty melody known as my favourite things. It melts even the most skeptical of nay-sayer's! I guess I really enjoy messing with people, they have got to learn somehow! For those unaware the portraits above are of Louis Armstrong, the MAGUS Miles Davis, and John Coltrane.
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