New Painting, "Lead Me to the Truth"

16" x 20"

Oil and Mixed Media on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

"Lead me to the truth and I 

Will follow you with my whole life."

-Mumford and Sons

I have a serious addiction to my Ipod. If I pick it up in the morning and realize the battery is dead, I can kiss my run goodbye. Similarly, I am just as dependent on it while working in the studio.  When painting, music acts as a conduit for everything I am trying to express and the words just flow through my brush in this wonderful process that unites thought and sound. It wraps me up in my own little world and I love every second.

As a working mom of young ones, long gone are the days of finding the time to discover new bands and delve into music the way I used to.   I was caught in a rut of listening to my "comfort music" (aka warm and cozy songs that I know I love to paint to from baaaack in the day...circa high school and college) and lots of Yo Gabba Gabba and Top 40 hits that the kids are begging me to play in the car.

Then, in walks my dear friend Beth, who skips into town from Austin and brings sunshine with her wherever she goes. Beth is a knockout trendsetter who has Austin-chic style down pat and has her finger on the pulse of all music indie and cool. It's all I can do to glance at her fb pics from Austin City Limits and not be filled with jealousy that I wasn't there alongside her with my cowboy boots, flowy dress and shades sipping a frothy delicious bevvy. However, no jealousy necessary--Beth is such a great friend that she reached out to me and sent the music to Dallas. I am so grateful to her for my CDs. Like little rays of sunshine they arrived in the mail and have opened my eyes to some great bands that are not necessarily new, but new to me. One of them is Mumford and Sons and their song, "Blank White Page" has a haunting power that takes my breath away every time I hear it.  That's where the title of my newest work is derived.

It's no coincidence that I have been struck by inspiration in the studio since my new tunes have been playing. While listening to music, I am able to sort out what my subconscious is doing on the canvas and make it all connect. I know a painting is finished when the audio  and the visual come together for me.  Thanks, DJ Jazzy Beth, I love you!

 (detail)