Passion and Purpose

Eddie Vedder and Dave Matthews hang on Nate Anderson's wall of music. Nate runs Ear Candy Charity. Passionate guy, his hair flames red as he does his work to provide access to music education for kids.

Tonight is the celebration of the opening of the Cafe at the Bookmans here in Mesa. Its purpose is to celebrate culture, with live music and my art. And commissions available for Vinyl Art with a special price of $175, $50 of which goes to Ear Candy.

You can give and get the same price by mentioning this blog post, as long as my pieces are on display at Bookmans. Find purpose in your passion.

Peace.

On The Wall

Jon was kind enough to send me a shot of the 4 pieces he commissioned as they hang on his wall. This is a cool layout! It's a nice alternative to the square. Even though it was really hard to sell these, I'm so glad they've found a good home.

I love getting to catch up on the story of my pieces, following them where they go. I've talked about this before, missing out when I consign pieces because I don't know who buys them, or when pieces get bought at charity auctions. But I have been lucky enough to have several owners send me pictures of their Vinyl Art.

If you own one or gave one to someone, I'd love to know what people think, and a picture would be awesome. If you can send one, just email it to me!

Peace.

I Know They're Out There Somewhere

This Iggy Pop was a gift from a wife to her musician husband, a friend of mine from grade school. Here is my original post featuring the piece. It looks awesome right above a light like that, between more art even! Sid Vicious, Iggy Pop and the White Stripes. Doesn't get much better.

I love getting pics of people's pieces in place. I've only gotten a few, which you can see by clicking on "owner" in the label list at the end of this post.

I'd also dig pics of the stickers I've sent out, if people've stuck'em somewhere. My wife and I have ours in the corner of our rear windows. I'm looking forward to the day I first see one on somebody else's vehicle.

So if you have a piece of Vinyl Art or a VA logo sticker stuck and haven't sent me a photo, please please do. I'll feature you in a post unless you tell me not to, as well. Or if you know someone who has a piece, tell them! Thanks!

Peace.

Plans For Vinyl Art

Above the couch next to a guitar, perfect! These are the blues trio that Ryan commissioned. I've posted a few other pieces as they hang. I love seeing them on other people's walls. From the beginning it's interested me to know how people decide where to put them. I even started a discussion on my Facebook fan page so people can chime in.

Ryan got excited about my work on Twitter and since he'd already gotten his print from Hugh MacLeod he decided to put more art in his new office. This makes sense, buying my art during a move or remodel, so the space can be planned or laid out with the art in mind.

I've just gotten a very exciting opportunity that hopefully will lead to a whole bunch more additions of my work to offices and media rooms. I'll be letting you know about it as soon as I get confirmation.

Peace.

We Need Music To Keep Us Sane

Yeah. Well said by Ann who commissioned this Neil Young. Here's how she explained why she wanted the piece:

"I would like Neil Young on the Rust Never Sleeps album. Also, if possible, I would like Neil's picture to be of him at about that time... so, younger than the one I saw of Neil on your website.

My brother died when he was 23 - very unexpectedly. He was a great fan of Neil (as am I). He had been learning to play "The Thrasher" on his acoustic guitar. About 2 months before his death, my brother and I went to see the Movie - Rust Never Sleeps.

Neil is my hero - but it would also be my own private reminder of a special memory of my brother, Mike."

That's why I create these.

Shortly after Jason died I wrote http://vinylart.blogspot.com/2008/05/music-keeps-me-together.html. It's long-winded and philosophical, as I was trying to get a handle on an unhandleable event.

Still trying.

Peace.

SOLD - Neil Young 08/04/09

A Bit Of Vinyl Art History

I just hung the 3 doubles today. I've posted about all of them before. We saw The Verve in London and Las Vegas. We saw Oasis here in Phoenix with Kasabian. We saw the Kings Of Leon in New Orleans and here in Tempe. All AWESOME concerts.

The other piece, in the upper right, is Lou Reed inspired by the "Transformer" cover photo by Mick Rock on a promotional copy of the "Disco Mystic" single. I love Lou Reed, wish I could've seen him live in his heyday, and loved him in Wim Wenders' "Faraway, So Close!". His distinctive voice, style, life, and persona make him integral to modern music history.

This piece is special to the history of my Vinyl Art as well. Before painting this one, I had mixed grey to paint the portraits. The photo of Lou Reed was so bright, though, I just used straight white. After painting it, my wife suggested I paint all of them with white. So that's how I started painting them the way I do now.

The other thing about this piece is that because the label is a white promotional label, I used black to paint the eye that's on top of the label. I've done that a few times since, on the Sid Vicious and Biggie pieces to name a couple.

I really enjoy painting this image of Lou Reed, and I've got a copy of "Transformer" to use, so let me know if you're interested in a commission!

Also, we just did our taxes over the weekend and discovered that I more than doubled my sales year over year and made a profit! How cool. Thank you so much to those of you who've supported my work by giving it as a gift or buying it for yourself.

Peace.

You Create The Meaning Of Vinyl Art

About a year ago now, I ran a contest on this blog. The best story about how music affected you would win a piece of Vinyl Art of the musician of your choice. Patrick submitted a link to an amazing story about his 1st Grateful Dead show. It was really the only entry, but he definitely deserved it. When he got the piece, he posted a pic on his blog. Now the piece hangs above his record collection.

Patrick is the perfect person to have a piece of Vinyl Art. He has and continues to be a huge music fan, it having played a major role throughout his life. His long-term focus on the Dead made Jerry the obvious choice, but his love of music made the art meaningful.

Yesterday I posted about considering my art a mashup of the music and the painting, but the owner has a part too. A big part. Whether a contest prize, a gift, a commission, or gallery purchase, you become a part of the art and what it means when you own it. You own it just as you own your connection to your music. It means what it does because of you and your love of your music.

Yes, you give meaning to what I do. So, thank you!

Peace.

What's The One Album?

Paul up in Canada bought this early last year. His feedback is also on my testimonial page. He recently bought a Billie Holiday as well. Billie's music and the man who introduced him to her helped Paul see his way out of his "hopelessly mixed up" teen years. I'll share more of that story when he sends me a photo of the Holiday displayed in his home.

It was, though, the New York Dolls and this album in particular that opened him up to the vast array of "new" music, including jazz. In fact, this album on which I painted was his actual album, played so much that it wouldn't play anymore. What a cool way to remember his music, with a piece of art created with that music! And here it is, on his mantle.

For me, that one album was "Revolver" by The Beatles which really opened my eyes to the possibilities in music.

What's your one album?

Peace.

Connections: Stories From Vinyl Art Owners

First seen in this post last April, here's how Michael has his painting displayed. Given to him by his girlfriend, Melanie, the piece looks cool in their music corner. Melanie says he likes looking at it while he plays his guitar. This is my first post of what I hope is many showing how owners of my work have their pieces displayed.

This one has three stories associated with it. I love how they interrelate.

1) Melanie, who lives in Florida, was referred to me by her friend Dee. My wife and I had met Dee and her husband, Tanner, on line at the House of Blues in New Orleans for the Kings of Leon. Obviously big music fans too, as they'd driven from Florida to New Orleans, Dee ended up buying one of my paintings of Miles Davis as a surprise birthday gift for Tanner. Dee's feedback is the 3rd one on my testimonial page.

2) Michael's feedback about the Flaming Lips is on that page too. Melanie gave it to him as an anniversary present. It was supposed to have been a surprise birthday gift, but I got it to her so fast, she couldn't stand it and gave it to him a month early. I say to give me a month to turnaround a commission, but I really try to get it done before that, especially for surprise gifts.

3) Melanie was named after Melanie Safka. She has several LPs of the folk singer that she hopes to have me paint on someday. It was around the same time I was painting the Flaming Lips that I also painted Melanie for a guy trying to get her inducted into the Hall of Fame. I love it when my art connects with people so passionate about their music that they take a public stand on something related.

That is really why I do this, the individual stories of love for music and humanity. I've received a couple other photos of my work in place either on shelves leaning against a wall or hung. I'll be posting about them soon, and I hope to get more responses from other owners!

Peace.