I thought I might share a laugh with my readers who love dogs. If you have one, or multiple fur-babies as I do, I think you will get these wonderful cartoons by Rupert Fawcett. They are called Off the Leash.
Art
A Giggle for the Dog People
Challenging the Challenge
One member of my writing group is a guy named Rich – who writes an interesting, thought provoking blog that I follow here: New Day Rising
He commented on my last post with a challenge to write about what music means to me.
I have thought about this challenge since.
Initially, I thought I might write about my small blue plastic record player that I got when I was 13 years old that I listened over and over and over again to Meat Loaf: Bat out of Hell. This album, I purchased multiple times – twice in vinyl, twice in 8 track, three times on cassette, then 3 CD’s and the last of which I downloaded on my computer as an MP3. I sure wore old Meat Loaf out!
I thought too about writing about the multiple live shows I have seen. Friends and famous people and famous friends, I must have seen live music thousands of times in my life. Some are more memorable than others. Some musicians are really talented and it has been breathtaking to see them and others I have to hold my breath when they ask how I enjoyed the show because I needed a moment to search for something positive to say. I don’t always like what they play even if I like them, you understand?
I thought then I might write about the beautiful talented Joe Chithalen, who is one of Kingston’s most remembered and loved musicians owing to the fact that he was a magnificent talent who died suddenly, tragically and unexpectedly just as he was emerging to some level of fame. His legacy of music makes instruments available to the Kingston community in order so that the inspired can have access to tools, with nothing but ID with a local address. He was a really wonderful man in life and in death he is honoured by those who support the library which is set up in his memory.
But in the back of my mind, I was quite bugged by the request. It is not that I am annoyed with Rich but there is this niggling little bit of hurt that comes from the personal experience that I have with musician friends that I never have with other creatives.
Honestly, as a group they are just so obnoxiously self centred! As a whole they have a singleminded expectation that writers will write about them, painters will paint them, friends will support them, family will endorse them and that we will drag ourselves out to see them play, no matter how awful the weather or how much we dislike the sort of music that they love. Yet largely… they are absolutely non-reciprocal with other creatives. Rarely, if ever, have I witnessed musicians promoting other creatives work, unless it is music.
For many years I have pulled people to shows, endorsed musicians on my blogs and Facebook accounts. I have asked people to see them and invited them to buy their CD’s. I have written about them ad nauseum and donated to the causes that they are supporting. Too, I myself bought so many crappy CD’s that I can’t even begin to tell you. Yet, I have found that as a group (musicians that I know), do not post links to my writing, speak about my upcoming book, nor do they say something positive about my painting. In fact, of the dozens of musicians who I have reached out for in all these years, I have never seen them, not a single one of them, post a single link, even too self obsessed to press a share button to tell others about what I do.
I am not suggesting that I am as talented as Emily Carr or Lawren Harris, nor am I suggesting that what I write about is as brilliant as Douglas Coupland. I am also not suggesting that my words about life in a tiny house are as important as the news on CBC, be this a Russian meteor or whatever is going on in the world. I am not even suggesting that they have to have the same interests, share similar beliefs or even like my work. It is not necessary for me to have everyone like what I do and what I think. What I am suggesting is that musicians should remember that they are not the only artists whose work is meaningful to them and they should get off their collective self-obsessed asses and do something for someone else who is also struggling to have creative outcomes. Personally, I don’t think it would hurt them to hold their breath and say something nice. Frankly, it is my belief that we writers do this more frequently than I myself can personally attest to.
So… do I want to write about dedicating yourself to music? Do I wish to promote the one creative talent that almost certainly ensures that the person will become a self obsessed, smug and generally not very well rounded person?
Yes, I do! Please do something, anything creative, but I warn you, if you are deciding on music I am hoping that you took my criticism to heart. Please remember that the world does not revolve around you. Other creative people also need a little high five now and again, even if you have to grit your teeth together until you find something something positive to say.
Categories: Art, Ontario, Open your eyes, View
13 Comments
Songbird: Chantal Thompson
When I was a youth, I worked many mc-jobs and at one of these my colleague was a younger girl, Chantal Thompson, who could sing like a bird. We lost track of one another some number of years ago. Both of us married and moved away from the Kingston area, but with Facebook the world gets smaller, so again we have had the opportunity to get to know one another a little again.
I share this with you because I recently got the news that Chantal is FINALLY getting an album together. Jazz. I invite you to listen to her here.
I had thought about sharing that Chantal and her husband are keenly interested in the environment, about their small cozy home, about the interesting ecological project that her husband is working on. I even considered sharing information about her addiction to recycling and repurposing… but I know you would see through me. The fact is that I really want to be able to put her voice on my MP3 and listen to her buttery silky voice any time I want, so I am asking for your support.
If you liked her voice, and I know you did, Kickstarter is a new way to finance the recording, so please her throw in a few bucks, like I did. The cool thing is that with the Kickstarter it is like buying a package in advance and if she does not get enough financial support (I really hope she will!) your credit card will not be charged.
To learn more about Chantal and the other musicians in her group, here is another article.
UPDATE: Chantal’s project was funded! I am aware that at least four of you helped out and that about 50 checked out her link, so a big thank you to all of my readers who were able to support her!
A Special Viewing
Today, this blog reached 85,000 reads. I knew this would happen so I have been holding something back from all of you. The truth is, I wanted to mark this number by thanking you in a VERY special way.
In Canada the most famous group of artists are, without question, The Group of Seven. I first saw their work when I was a child in grade four. I was not from an artsy family, nor even from a family who visited galleries, museums or theatres. Still, one of our primary teachers was an Art lover and she arranged for us to see Art, with a capitol A. We had been to see an Andy Warhol‘s Soup exhibit at Agnes Etherington earlier in the year and so this was my second gallery trip with my class. This time we were at the McMichael Gallery and I remember looking up at the paintings by Lawren Harris with my child eyes; these works took my breath away. It was my first real “identification experience” with Art and it is a feeling that has never left me. Over the years, I have gained a huge appreciation for the entire Group of Seven. I LOVE these works they all take my breath now. Gallery visits to see these works are serious exercises in oxygen depravity and breathing for me. In my adult years, I think there is not a week gone by where I have not looked in on them in one form or another, be that a gallery, a book or the internet, they captured me totally.
About a year ago, I sat chatting with a girlfriend D who told me that she really likes my paintings. Can you imagine my absolute awe when in the next breath told me that she is the niece of Frank (Franz) Johnston? Then in the next she said her mom has many of his paintings; some of these she has loaned to galleries, the others she has hanging in her home. “WHAT?” I squealed like a little girl!
On her last trip home D, who is not really a fan of her uncle’s work (no kidding), took a photo with her cellphone of this painting because she thought I would like it. Of course I love it and would really want to see it up close and personal!
I asked and D has given me permission to share this image with you and as far as I know this is a world premier.
Franz Johnson: “Little House”
Thank you for reading and enjoy the view!
Categories: Art, Ontario, Open your eyes, Tiny House Ontario, View
Tags: Art, Franz Johnston, Group of Seven
10 Comments
Waterfront Barn on Gore Street
I worked on this painting over the past few days. It is a bit of a mystery as far as buildings go. A huge barn right downtown on Kingston’s waterfront. No one seems to know what the building’s purpose serves, how long it has been there… If you know something about it, I would love to know.
A few years ago I heard that a sail maker was housed there. But I am not sure if this is true.
I finished this 8×10 yesterday..
Categories: Art, Ontario, Original Art work of Laura Moreland, Tiny House Ontario, View
Tags: architecture, Art, Kingston, Ontario
4 Comments
Tiny House Ontario 