So this is the new year...
"And I have no resolutions
For self assigned penance
For problems with easy solutions"
Click to viewSo I mentioned a new blogging project that I will be doing in 2010. One of the things that helps me creatively is giving myself structure and deadlines to follow. I think it holds me accountable and motivates me to do spend the time to do the things I need and want to do. And doing this via blog makes it public, so that adds accountability. So I have chosen to start a new project called Song Lore this year, to give me some guidance in my creativity.
The Song Lore Project will be a collection of handcrafted items inspired by some of the most meaningful music in my life. I am a lover of music, and the stories and imagery that can be found in great songwriting. Music creates a soundtrack to my life, and I find that there are songs and albums that follow me and give me comfort and inspiration. I am always seeking out new music to add to this soundtrack, and I often rediscover music from my younger years that seems to reappear and inspire me again. I have always wanted to do a series of work inspired by music, and I have decided that this is a perfect time to start this series. I used to post a lot of music to my blog, and I really enjoyed the multi-media experience that it created. But other than a necklace here or there, I never really focused on using music as direct inspiration.
My goal is to post a new song every week, probably on Saturdays (you know, so I can call it Song Lore Saturday... because I am a sucker for alliteration). I want to make at least two pieces inspired by the songs every month, in some way. It might be a bead or pendant, or a necklace, or something totally different... I don't want to put limits on the form. Since my process takes so long, I will have to revisit the Song Lore posts when I finish pieces, so I hope you will be patient. My ultimate goal is to have this endless source of musical inspiration that I hope will help me bring to life many new artworks!
So the first song is "New Year" by Deathcab for Cutie. I am sure that seems like an obvious choice, but it is a great song that inspires me, and I have been a Deathcab junkie over the last few months, with the album Narrow Stairs playing almost non-stop in my car over the holidays.
In particular, these lyrics have inspired me:
"i wish the world was flat like the old days
then i could travel just by folding a map
no more airplanes, or speedtrains, or freeways
there'd be no distance that can hold us back."
I think of my word of the year, *journey* and my upcoming travels, and this makes me want to create some safe travel amulets. I have collected my materials, and have started squishing clay for these pieces, and I will tell you more soon!