Water Music on Mixed Media & Musical Monday

Today the Musical Monday theme is My First Concert

while Mixed Media Monday's prompt is Meaningful Music

When I was 10 we moved from our tiny town to a slightly larger, picturesque city by the sea. Though we only there 2 years, my eyes (& ears) were opened to some life altering experiences. My Mom started taking me to the local "Opera House" where I was introduced to everything from Shakespeare to Gilbert & Sullivan. She also took me to a number of concerts, mostly chamber music & classical soloists. And then 1 day.... it was Respighi's Pines of Rome! That was it - I was sold on both classical music & dreams of visiting Rome.

Trevi Letters

For a while I've wanted to paint again. Just too busy to work on anything big right now. So I've been "sketching" in my ancient photoshop elements. Trevi Letters is my prep for a bigger piece inspired by the 3rd movement from Respighi's Fontane di Roma. Think of it as part of series of love letters to Rome.

If you are curious, I digitally collaged a scrap of printed paper, a Polaroid emulsion transfer made from a close up of the Trevi fountain (yes, I did make it to Rome), and a charcoal drawing of a cellist from years ago. Then I played with some colors & swirls but when I printed it out, it looked like mud (my printer sucks). Rather than toss the print, I had fun adding watercolors, pencils, markers, white paint & gel pens. Unfortunately, I can't seem to capture the shimmer of the gel pens or the white highlights, but you get the basic idea.

If you've got a few minutes, click through the links above to see what other folks have posted today. Also, why not play along & add your own music / art while you are visiting them?


And while you're at it don't forget to visit Maternal Spark's Weekly Inspiration. What is inspiring me this week? I think you can guess what I'm going with.....

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By the way, still accepting entries for 2 random drawings:

On 10/1 one winner gets the matted print Little Gift from Amber Freeman. Just leave a comment before noon Thursday to enter. CLICK here to see print

On 10/22 one winner gets custom printed vinyl banner from Uprinting.com. CLICK here for prize details & rules

Musical Monday's Muse

Good Monday! How goes it? Been shaking off the last summer head cold this weekend. Spent most of Sunday reading, sleeping, sneezing & watching Mushi-shi. Got hooked on the opening theme song by Ally Kerr so here it is for Musical Monday:

If you have some time today, Click the Musical M. button & visit Diane at Good Mourning Glory. She's featuring the too-cool Djordje Stijepovic today. Then grab a button share your favorite sounds!

Over at Maternal Spark, the talk today is about solving problems. My Pigsty (formerly known as studio) is one of my biggest obstacles lately. It is so messy that even when I get an idea it takes so long to locate what I need that there is almost no point. I'm praying that once the little guy starts Kindergarten next week, I can bite the bullet & make some order out of chaos. Unfortunately there are so many home & work things awaiting my attention...... sigh.... Some how I'll tackle it all

Gotta run. Hope you are off to a great week!

Oh, and if you are interested in entering Thursday's Random Drawing for a $10 Michaels Gift Card just leave a comment before noon (EST) 8/20. For contest details & store locator link CLICK HERE

Monday's Muse - Art On The Darkside

Popped over to Art On The Darkside to check out the new challenge .... Oooh, Mirrors! What fun!

Mirrored Angels

This is adapted from a piece I sold a while ago. It actually started out as 2 Polaroid emulsion transfers on the inside of a plexiglas frame. It needed a little something so I backed it with a print of an antique postcard. (Nice to be able to use something from my collection now & then)

The postcard is from Mother to Billy Boy and has no picture. Just the words - If a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon, or make a better mousetrap, than his neighbor, though he build his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door.

Some trivia for you, while Googling to make sure that this was an Emerson quote, I found out that in 1855 he really wrote - If a man has good corn, or wood, or boards, or pigs, to sell, or can make better chairs or knives, crucibles, or church organs, than anybody else, you will find a broad, hard-beaten road to his house, though it be in the woods.

Funny how all that eventually morphed into: Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.

I then scanned & tweaked in Photoshop Elements. Just playing around.

So what's inspiring you today?

The folks over at Maternal Spark want to know.

And I wanna know too!

Leave a comment on this blog before noon (EST) Thursday & be entered in this week's random giveaway. There will be 2 winners. Each will get a set of ACEOs from Melanie over at Studio27. Click HERE for details & pics of prizes. Plus an interview with the artist.