Drawing and Music

I have read lots of posts by bloggers who cite classical music as the cats meow for making art. I have read that jazz greats like Thelonius Monk is another perfect option. These suggestions are often made for music to be part of the creative process but pushed into the background. I like mind just a bit more front and centre.

Hmmm! As with art, music is definitely a personal preference. I agree that classical and Thelonius have their place and there is certainly a good "marriage" between the two artistic realms. I have tried out these different genres with some success but find that I prefer my music a bit more uptempo whether it is a cold or sultry day! Music is so very subjective and I do change my mind oftentimes it is based on my mood. Of late, I have been leaning towards Latin/salsa and music from Africa, and the Arab world (Turkey and Egypt). I have a Macbook and I have different playlists that I use (my lovely daughter bought me some fabulous Bose speakers for my computer). I prefer world music BECAUSE I can't understand the words so I am not actually listening that closely and can continue to concentrate on the work [the art] at hand. The beat is just enough that keeps me happy but not so much that I get out of my zone and find myself "toe tapping".

Each to her/his own!

Thank goodness we have music because I am working on hair again today and need the tunes!

Today, I am listening to:

The Greatest Songs Ever: Middle East

Turkey - The Greatest Songs Ever

Arabic Groove

African Guitar Summit II - (recorded in Toronto)

Africa - The Greatest Songs Ever

From Alternative to Opera

I love having eclectic tastes, it means that I can sample all the good bits of life! I love music and I enjoy what iTunes considers "alternative" as well as classical/opera and almost everything in between. Right now I am listening to Steven Pasero's instrumental "guitar masterpieces" album on my computer (surprisingly it is not available on iTunes). I don't usually like guitar instrumentals but this album is exceptional. My hubby is in the kitchen making chicken florentine for supper tonight and he is watching "Surviorman" and I have no wish to watch that particular program. Although I am not in the process of making art, I find myself thinking about it more and more often as each day passes. I am formulating a new idea that will have to percolate there until I can expend the time really making art! When I am deep in the process of painting or drawing, I like to listen to music that doesn't have words that I would want to discern when I listening. I just want to have good music playing, in the background, in the foreground, it doesn't really matter to me. Having said that, I also like world music because I don't understand the words so it amounts to about the same thing.

I forgot my "crackberry" at work yesterday and had expected that I would go into town today to retrieve it. Then I had the presence of mind to re-think that. The more I thought about it, the more I didn't want to force myself to go. Tomorrow will undoubtedly be fine (I have to go to town anyway to check the house and take my Dad to his pre-op appointment)! I know that I am suppose to have the thing on 24/7 in case a "member" calls me but I have noticed little activity during the weekends. It would seem that our members prefer to only call when they are working. It is unfortunate that I am a shift worker and most of my callers are not. I had not thought that I would miss the new technology until I was given the "loaner" crackberry because I fried it when I tried to download some software. I don't think crackberry likes my MAC even though it claims that it does.

Something just came to mind about that album, I purchased that tape at a nifty, eclectic shop and restaurant in Orillia Ontario called Mariposa. They had it playing while I drank my coffee and I just had to buy it in their scent shop next door.

Hmmmm!! The smells of supper is wafting over my way!!!!