A special birthday present
For long I have the strong inner wish to give my mom something special for her upcoming birthday; something out of the ordinary. Often I see the image of a waving, black and white piano keyboard in my mind. The background is totally black, while the keys are popping out white with occasional black stripes. I decide to paint it, somehow. Just how? I remembered that I had made a photo of my mom playing the piano, but I cannot find it anywhere (now while composing this article it magically pops up ;). Well, I still have time to figure that out. One day in an advertising magazine of an electronic store I find a tiny electronic keyboard picture. I cut it, estimating the illustration sufficient to bring my imagination down onto paper.
Waving keyboard and laughing notes
I start drawing. The piano becomes lovely, swinging lightly from one to the other side of the paper. I can feel the music in it. For the upper part of the painting I remember the music rest on my mom’s synthesizer. I cannot find a real comparison, so I draw something that at least equals it somewhat. My imagination kicks in, and all of a sudden I find dancing notes all around the music rest. Freely I place them wherever my hand or eye leads to. I am in the magic world of creation, enjoying the pleasurous notes becoming alive, dangling here and there, upside down and “across country”. Placing them is like looking into the smiling, enthusiastic face of my mom, and her childish expression of love for each detail concerning her music play.
Tender and tiny hands stretching over acres of keys
Everything feels in the right place, though something is still missing… Yes, I got it! A hand! Of course, how could her piano be played without her precious hands? The space is enough for her left hand, and having myself as a model I do my best to imitate her tiny, delicate hand. I call forth the picture of my mom’s hand playing the piano as she had done so often upon my visits. I feel the emotions arising whenever she starts touching the keys. It’s an overwhelming feeling, a deep feeling of unconditional love, eternal forgiveness, and absolute allowance of being The Great I AM I am. Her tiny, tender hands appearing on the paper stretching wide out to distant keys feels like she is right here, right in the painting, hitting the keys herself.
The magic of my mom’s existence in colors
When it comes to the color I realize that black and white is as far distant as it can be to the nature and sunshine my mom rays out to the world. Orange is the first color coming to my mind, because I know how much she loves to dress in it. Orange – what else? Black? The drawing is meant to be a vibrant celebration for her special day, a homage to her magic existence, rather than a serious affair. Thus black is out. I think of the rainbow, one of my life leading symbols and decide to do something about it when shaping the further colors. Everything else just falls into place. I enjoy using all kinds of materials, from acrylic color to colored crayons and felt-tip pens. After all, I am the artist here, and thus own the choice with and in everything.
Oh, what a joy to watch the result! So truly mirroring the imaginary world of a musician’s inner child. And now, how am I going to call it? Mh…clatter, chatter, rattle…I got it!
THE SYMPHONY OF YOUR SOUL 😉
[06/2010]