Represent! Recognize!

I'm trying to figure out which one piece of mine best represents what I do quickly. I mean which one would the most people look at and go, hey yeah! that's... and then think it's the coolest thing they've ever seen, the fastest.

I've learned from people's responses, people's questions, that my work has a bunch of stages to get past in people's perception and assumptions before they get to "I want one". It's tough when what you're doing is different from what people're used to, but also not completely unknown at the same time. Most people seeing my work know what a record is, they know what a painting is, and they often know iconic musicians on sight. But put that all together and recognizing what they're looking at can get confusing. They have to see who it is, that it's a record, that it's handpainted, that it's handpainted ON the record, that it's handpainted on the record by who it is, and then they ask the question "Can you do...?"

Yes. Yes I can, as long as vinyl pressings of their recordings exist.

Peace.

Voices You Love Or Hate

I am extremely picky about voice. Back as a teen, the singer was always a deal breaker for me. That's why I listened more to groups that harmonized, like CSNY or The Beatles or Jefferson Airplane. There were those like Peter Gabriel or Midnight Oil or The The who were decidedly unique that I loved. Then there were those that I hated. I never could get into Rush simply because of Geddy's voice.

So here are a few that I've found people either go crazy over or can't stand, starting with Beck. For me, it works. His voice compliments his musical style, lo fi. His voice is lo fi. I love it as an additional instrument in his wacky arsenal.

Next is Thom Yorke of Radiohead. I've never been a huge fan. And, yes, you could say I hate his voice. Sorry. I've grown to respect it, and the band's music is innovative and intellectually intriguing, but I usually pass on listening.

Dave Mustaine of Megadeth has a far more captivating voice than Hetfield from Metallica, I think. When he gets all weird and metallic sounding, I love it. It works so well with their music. Kind of like Axl when Guns 'n' Roses first hit it big.

Jonathan Davis of Korn. God awful, to be honest. His voice works because their music is god awful. But it works. So again, I hate his voice but do respect it.

Iggy Pop has one of those weird voices, like Lou Reed. Just weird. I love Reed's because his music is so powerful, raw. Iggy's I frankly have never gotten into, and as of now at least, I have to say I can't stand his voice.

I am extremely grateful to Gilmour and Gabriel for both supporting Kate Bush early on. I love their voices for sure, though you can be luke-warm about them. With Bush, you can't. Again it's how it works into her music that makes me love her voice, soft and grating at the same moment somehow.

These are just a few. Ones I've done paintings of I love. My paintings can be like voices, some I either love or never want to see again, but some are just so-so.

What singers would you add to my short list and do you love them or hate them?

Peace.

Led Zeppelin Vinyl Art Timelapse

"So what can I say? It's all about the 'Immigrant Song'." - Icky on "Sarsippius' Ark" by Infectious Grooves.

Peace.

One Man's Trash

I'm so excited I got to do this!

These records were beat, man. A couple had been shoved into the sleeves along with other Beatles records. This is why I love being able to do what I do. A friend had saved the other couple from the leftovers of a neighbor's garage sale, destined for the landfill. Beatles records. Nobody who didn't want to piss off their dads by playing crappy records on his fancy hi-fi would've played these, but they're Beatles records!

This is what I've been waiting to be able to do with my unframed pieces since I started clear-coating them. After painting and clear-coating these 4, I glued them together with Super Glue. I'm hoping I get to do other groups like Led Zeppelin this way, but I don't run across records without sleeves very often. The albums I get with sleeves, I'll normally do framed and won't throw the sleeves away just because. So I need your help. I need commissions of these.

Now, last week I said that the price for unframed single ones will go up to $150 at the end of the month, when my contest is over (which, by the way, only has 24 entries thus far). At that point I will begin offering pieces like this one of the Beatles for 10% less per portrait, plus shipping. So this one would be $540 instead of $600 individually. (I've got to find out what shipping will be, but it won't be too bad.)

I want to do them that much. I'm basically paying you to let me do a whole group and arrange the portraits myself. Plus, you'd only need 2 nails to hold up all 4 records :)!

Peace.

How Dare I?

Paint on a Nick Drake record? Am I nuts? Well, it is a reissue, but still! It's my one reservation about what I do, rendering records unplayable, at least on one side. Especially when it's music I love. So how do I justify it? How can I say I love vinyl so much that I ruin it?

Well, I can buy another one on eBay for $25 since it's a reissue. But, more importantly, I like what I create. I'm repurposing something mass produced into a unique piece of art directly celebrating the original art of the album. To make the record collectors out there gasp, after all it is just a record. It's not like I'm depriving the world of Nick Drake's wonderfully wispy voice. Also, there's something cool about using a physical representation of the actual music, the record, to pay hommage to the creator of said music with another physical representation, the portrait.

This past week I've been prompted to rethink the idea of reproducing my work. Sort of paying hommage to my own creation? Seems egotistical a little. I'm still not 100% sure. I'm opening up to the idea of editions of prints limited in scope and number, on something other than vinyl, by a very reputable outfit. I wouldn't want it done on records. I know that. Not on random records, blank records, or records by the subject of the painting. Maybe on wood panel or metal? How would that even look, a record with grooves printed flat?

It would open up the possibilities for more sales, more quickly. But both of those aren't really my end goal though. My goal is to make individual meaningful connections that give people a way to share their music, their culture. More more more, faster faster faster isn't my style. Hmm, in the right context maybe, so it's different sales, with rigorous quality?

I'm just not sure. What do you think? Is it selling out in the short term or smart business in the long term? I'd really appreciate help here!

Peace.

SOLD - Nick Drake 01/13/09

Don't Compromise Yourself [EC]

You're all you've got. Janis said so.

It all depends on one's authentic intent. If I were setting out to sell my work so that it could be used and reproduced in other contexts, then great. I've got nothing against doing art for graphic design. It's just that that isn't why I'm creating Vinyl Art.

Vinyl Art pieces are original portraits of musicians and entertainers handpainted with acrylic on vinyl recordings of the subject. Their purpose is to celebrate our shared love of music. Each one is a unique expression, a piece of me, that hopefully will connect people with the music and culture they love.

To that end, I've also on several occasions tied my art to charity, including this piece. It is painted on an album given to me in trade. For the albums I received in that trade, I've decided to give $100 of the $175 for a framed piece to a charity of the buyer's choice. I love this idea, getting to give to charity and linking my art with that act of humanity.

See, that's my ultimate goal: uplifting humanity, making the world a better place. This art is my contribution, my way that I best know to be creative, productive. I won't compromise my art or myself.

Peace.

THIS Is My Music, My Culture!

Now, THAT is a record store! I just wished I'd known about it earlier! The ex-manager of one of another local small chain of used music stores who had displayed my art over a year ago had left to open his own store, Revolver Records. I didn't know about it until last month and finally went a couple days ago. Man! I felt like I was back in West L.A. at Record Rover. And to be named after my favorite album of all time!

Stacks of boxes of records, tightly packed bins of new and used vinyl in all possible genres, all crammed into an old house in downtown Phoenix's arts district. I'm glad it's a bit of a drive because I'd be there WAY too much if it weren't. Hopefully though, as they are in the arts district, they'll be able to devote some wall space to my art. TJ wants to if they can.

They have listening stations for both vinyl and the small selection of CDs. Rare and cool looking albums adorn the walls along with framed band t-shirts. I tell you, I felt at home. The prices were so reasonable too! Beatles and the rare Hendrix album with the original cover with all the nudes, all less than $50! Most records were around $10.

So I found the above Arctic Monkeys, a Led Zeppelin III (for a buck!), Nick Drake's "Bryter Layter", a Gil Scott-Heron album, "The Eminem Show", and "Born Again" by B.I.G. There were tons more, including several that I'd've loved to buy for my listening collection, but I didn't want to go TOO crazy.

I already have "Favourite Worst Nightmare" on CD and love it, love it, love it. The Arctic Monkeys are sweet, and put on a great live show. Alex's energy is awesome. This record was in excellent shape even though it'd been opened, so I recorded it with my iRecord. I do think that these new albums being pressed on vinyl that have been digitally recorded or mixed or mastered at some point don't sound "better" on vinyl. How could they, if the recording isn't analog to start with? So I'm not overly conflicted about using them for my art.

In fact, I'm starting to paint more pieces of those musicians I, myself, truly love. I want to build a collection of paintings that really fit my tagline "this is my music, my culture". The Hendrix and Lennon last week started this off. Hopefully I'll eventually get them hung in our dining room to show you how cool these look on the wall. I'll post pics then. Now to decide whether to actually paint on a Nick Drake album.

Peace.

SOLD - Alex Turner 10/16/08

The Long And The Short Of It

Handpainted. Yep, white acrylic basically dabbed on a record. With a brush. In my hand.

It takes effort. Effort and energy focussed by skill and practice, motivated by passion.

Effort means a long-term commitment. The Chili Peppers have travelled a long road, with pain and anguish along the way. From very rocky beginnings on this, their first album, through a very rocky middle with tortuous drug problems, to a still rocky present saved perhaps by family responsibilities, Kiedis has actively grown as a singer throughout.

Sustained effort. Driving passion, in it for the long haul.

Peace.

Red Hot Chili Peppers 10/08/08

(Custom)er

This Springsteen is for Barbara. She's buying herself a birthday present. Love it. On her blogger profile, she has so many to list for her favorite music that she had to repurpose the "favorite movies" category to hold more music.

Barbara is exactly who I want to be able to have at least one piece of Vinyl Art. She's buying it unframed for $100 shipped. I added the option to buy unframed pieces for people who have a cool idea for hanging the piece, or who would rather save up for a painting and like 5 CDs instead of just a painting.

I've been getting real good use out of the PayPal email invoices for commissions recently. It allows me to customize the invoice for you. All you need to do is contact me if you don't see what you want specifically in my online gallery, or if you want to buy multiple pieces at one time. You also get a more personal story to tell people wondering what the heck that is you've got on your wall.

Peace.

SOLD - Bruce Springsteen 09/03/08

Keyword Conundrum

When people go into Wild About Music and see this painting of Page and Plant, they're already in the frame of mind to see music-related merch and art. When visitors land on my site and particularly my blog, I suspect they aren't as prepared for what they see.

Keywords are causing this to happen. For example, when E! reruns its 101 top moments of Saturday Night Live, my 2 posts about it get a bunch of hits from people looking for information about the show, not my list of favorite comedians or review of Knocked Up. I don't know if this is a problem to be resolved or just a normal occurence for blogs, but I'm always trying to fine tune my keywords.

How did you find me?

Now that you've found me, what words would you think to use to find me intentionally through a search?

Though artwork on record albums is becoming a bit more popular, I don't think most people would even think of the concept when looking for a gift for a music-lover or for cool unique things to add to their own collection of music-related stuff. I get a lot of people searching for "vinyl art", when they're really looking for vinyl art toys or vinyl window stickers, so I also get a lot of people not even remotely looking for what I do.

So can you help the right people find me?

Peace.

SOLD - Page and Plant 08/22/08