Music has always been a big part of my life, mostly due to the fact that quite a few members of my family are musicians. I did grow up listening to classical and eventually became a huge musical theatre nerd, so I am grateful to my brother for introducing me to more contemporary music although that particular era was already deemed as “classic rock” by the time I got around to it. It doesn’t matter anyway, because as long as there’s something that jives with my soul while I’m painting, I’m happy.
In these trying times, I rely on music more than ever. The sheer amount of work confronting me each night, compounded by what’s going on in the world today plus some personal issues, I begin every work night singing while getting my work station ready. It’s a little ritual that I find which keeps me sane.
I agreed straight away to a recent request because A) it is a band I’ll be painting and B) it is a band I’ve never really listened to and is keen to get on top of. When the buyer sent me photos of the band members, I knew I was going to have a great time making this set. Just days before I received the request, I was looking longingly at some wigs, lamenting how I don’t have the time to make a real doll with fabric clothes and actual hair. I was enthralled by the weft of crinkled hair and wished really hard that I would get a chance in the near future to work with it and lo and behold! My wish came true!
In the past I have only really worked with wool or crepe for hair, never synthetic doll hair so it took me a while to figure out how to apply it. I could watch some YouTube videos but didn’t have time to hunt down a real one although I’m sure I could benefit from the tutelage. It did necessitate a trip to K-Mart’s lady’s intimates department for some hosiery, though, and I also walked out with a bunch of things I didn’t really need so it’s not a complete loss! Now I have all 23 Melvins albums to listen to as we sit and wait the fate of the world to be decided.
Wow, that’s a lot of albums! I am going to check out their music too, not sure if I know any of it. I love your ritual of starting with music, I’m starting to listen more again too and it is so helpful to tackle my mood and get me moving! I’ve been remembering how much I loved getting new music back in the day of vinyl and cassettes, and even cds, where I’d sit and appreciate the cover art and read the lyrics as I listened to learn them. It was much more immersive than what tends to happen now when I download music and don’t truly engage with it. I think the past 15 months had led me back to some of the pleasures of my earlier years and I’m grateful for that.
Yes, I missed that, reading the liner notes with the music. It’s just not the same reading the lyrics off the internet is it? Music is so important, as is the ritual of listening to it!