Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Shamans Came to Speak-My Hands Paint & Play the Song

Rain Dance, (16" x 20," oil on artists' board) Intermission: Our family friend, Ruben, is a very talented musician. He has been helping me with my newbie blues playing. Because it's summer and I'm thinking of a walking beat as well as experimental painting, I've included my song with this post (be kind, please, it's my first and I was improvising rhythm and lead). Ruben is the music producer and artist who recorded, mixed and made this possible, 'cuz I don't know nothin' 'bout no music recording. I am so grateful. Maybe he'll share some of his incredible talent with the world someday soon.

30 comments:

Edgar said...

Your talent just doesn't have any real boundaries, does it Melinda? You call that newbie?

Love the Shamans... they have a wonderful archetypal primitiveness, but a playful yet sophisticated modern texture and rendering. MMMmmm colors.

Melinda said...

Thanks, Mr. Artyfice. Of course I call my playing newbie. And, remember the day--how Ruben mixed and worked his magic to make my awkward pluckings sound less than totally embarrassing?!

Glad you like the Shaman's Rain Dance. They arrived as I'm hoping the monsoon will this weekend.

Anonymous said...

Where do I click to hear your newbie blues?

Love your expressive use of color! You're so free!

Melinda said...

Hey Silvina! Glad you like the painting. It may be that there isn't an audio bar showing at the end of the last paragraph of my post. If there isn't, please let me know and I'll get the computer guy right on it. Otherwise, there should be a play button on the bar above 'comments.'

Gotta push through all timidity, right?

SamArtDog said...

There's no PLAY button, so poke the computer guy. I want to hear the soundtrack that goes with these powerful shamans!

I love multi-tasking artists.

Melinda said...

Yikes, SamArtDog!

For Silvina too:

Here's what computer guy says, "It's probably Silvina's media player plug-in. If her browser hasn't updated recently, she might not see the music control panel, just as I couldn't last night. If she can see the player, then volume settings in her desktop could be turned way down."

Also, he wrote, "Your music plays in Vista and XP, in Firefox 3.5, 3.6, Internet Explorer 8, and Safari (the Apple browser) 4.0. It doesn't show up in Netscape Navigator 9 (Firefox 2), probably because the player plugin can't be updated. Again sorry, I can't test Mac."

Now I'm nervous...I'm a Newbie with a capital 'N.' Funny. I have no problem posting unfinished and sometimes "bad" work, but music...sheesh.

Thanks for stopping by!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Melinda,

Love, love, love the painting, but was afraid I was a techno wipe out when I couldn't see anyway to play the music. You know I wanted to!

I am on a Mac, so maybe that's my problem, running the latest Firefox.

Super painting.

xoxoxoxoxoxBarbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Melinda,

Had a brainwave and went on the blog through Google Chrome! Yay! The song is amazing. My favorite kind of music of all time, and you are an amazing person in every realm you touch.

Congratulations!

xoxoxoxoBarbara
Listened on Chrome, but it wouldn't let me comment, back to Firefox to comment. Complicated but well worth it. You rock!

Melinda said...

You are brilliant, Barbara! And, techno wise. I'm very impressed.

Thank you so much for your generous comment. I was influenced by looking at artists like Helen Frankenthaler

If I don't send people screaming from their computers while covering their ears, it's because of friend Ruben.

I'm thinking of you and Steven as you enjoy the idyllic schoolhouse and beautiful Nova Scotia. Have a fabulous time!

SamArtDog said...

I'm also on a Mac using Safari as a browser, but I still have no PLAY button. And I'm more challenged than Barbara M, so Google Chrome is beyond me.

Hey, your painting is still sweet music.

Anonymous said...

I was on Safari. After reading Barbara's comment I downloaded Chrome. Still can't see the button! And the volume on itunes is turned all the way down, but the computer volume is all the way up. Non of this matters though, because I don't see a BUTTON! Some day I will hear your music.

Melinda said...

Gosh, Silvina and SamArtDog, I'm so sorry this has been difficult.

I just sent each of you an email with the mp3 and hope that when you click on it, it will play for you.

You may be sorry!

Thank you so much for coming back. I'm feeling the love! And....blushing.

Anonymous said...

I heard it! I heard it! Yowza! You're SMOKIN' girl! Looove it. Rock on!!! Thank you for sending it to me <3.

Melinda said...

Laughing out loud, Silvina, with a big, silly grin on my face.

You know, you really shouldn't encourage me...but, thank you.

SamArtDog said...

Awesome, dude! You are a genuine multi-track multi-tasker! I hear some acoustic rhythm, some raunchy 'lectric lead, and a sprinkle of if-you're-lucky Zildjians. Kudos to Ruben. Good engineers are a bitch to find. Cook him supper.

Btw, the rain dance is working. This is the second afternoon of downpour. Bring on the monsoons!

word verif: unsingu... in honor of your instrumental

Melinda said...

Major virtual hugs to you SamArtDog. My guitar, Suzie, is a hollow body electric (with whammy bar). Ruben had the drum track available and mixed my rhythm pretty down home and then "shredded" the lead.

Wow. I can't believe this old lady is writing this way...

That's great about the monsoon. In fact, we're about to get a big storm!

You've made my day! I hope you're inspired to paint and play.

cohen labelle said...

Melinda! I love the painting and the soundtrack. And I had no problem listening to it on either computer - his seven year old emac or my one year old imac –
I love the rhythms - you play beautifully, you swing - definitely something in those fingers of yours and that brush of yours! You’re a shaman or you’re an artist with shamanic tendencies.
Encore!
XO

Melinda said...

Hello Marcia! Oh, my. High praise coming from you. You're very kind.

I'm glad, too, that you like my painting. A bit of a departure from my usual landscapes, non? Actually, this genre and figurative painting was how I began many moons ago.

And, my ability to play Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C# Minor, I'm afraid, is a distant, foggy memory.

Hope you're staying cool in your region!

Anonymous said...

I love the pink shaman's rain dance! And if the music is as inventive and creative as the painting, I'd love that too, if only I could hear it. No button, even in Chrome... boo-hoo.

Melinda said...

Oh dear, Donald, this is troubling. The computer guy promises me that he can fix this problem. I think he'll be able to over the weekend. Part of the problem is Blogger. We have to send the song somewhere in order for Blogger to go and get it. Blogger can't get the song from my computer, if I understand correctly, because of copyright concerns. In this case, of course, the work is mine and I should be able to share it easily.

Thank you so much for visiting. I'm glad you like the painting. My music is very, beginner-like, but full of enthusiasm.

The fix is on the way...

daviddrawsandpaints said...

Absolutely Fabulous!
Glad I missed all the earlier difficulties being held to ransom by my own computer, but so glad to see and hear your art and music together.
Wonderful stuff...great guitarin' and these two shamans are exactly what I want to be able to do.
You'll need to come on over to my place and put on a one-woman-show. Show 'em how it's done!
From an ardent and adoring fan.
##D
ps: can you sing and play the drums as well, all at the same time?

Melinda said...

I'm grinning silly agin, David. Thank you so much for your kind words. I know I'm a newbie, but the art community is so supportive that I put my toe in the water on this and didn't drown. You're a wonderful musician and I'm glad you thought it not too bad. ;)

Okay, about the painting thing. I'll start walking tomorrow--should take me 'bout a year and a half to get there, swimmin' the pond'll be a bit of a challenge, but I've got a floaty...

Ha! Play and sing at the same time...Ha. If I don't practice often, I strum the wrong string while pressing down on another! A great producer/artist like Ruben can make somethin' out of a beginner's enthusiasm.

Anonymous said...

What fun! When the music started with the rain dance shaman in the background I just smiled! Perfect accompaniment to a great painting. I was waiting for them to start swaying to the music. I see a whole new career opening up for you!!

Melinda said...

That would be too much fun, Donald! Providing music to my paintings...whoa.

So glad you could listen and not experience any adverse effects, i. e., ear bleeding, nausea!

I like your image of swaying shamans.

Anonymous said...

Hot damn woman! Is there nothing your talent can't nail?
Love the tying together of your Shamans visual impact and that blues-y soundtrack.

To use your words " My guitar, Suzie, is a hollow body electric (with whammy bar). Ruben had the drum track available and mixed my rhythm pretty down home and then "shredded" the lead."

There's nothing old about a soul who can pour this stuff out of a guitar AND tubes of paint.

Rock ON!

Melinda said...

Dear Bonnie, I will read your kind words regularly, especially when I'm feeling ancient. You've made my day!

So glad you like the two together. Now, I'll go look for my hammer...

Thank you so much,
;-)

Linny D. Vine said...

You rule, Melinda!!! (Visualize me holding up a lit bic lighter and swaying to your latest release.) Great painting, too - my imagination loves to play in there!

Melinda said...

Hello Linny! Laughing out loud and grinning as I imagine the image. You're so kind.

You are my inspiration for play and whimsy, you know.

Thank you for stopping by and commenting.

Joan Breckwoldt said...

This painting is so cool, I love it. When I saw it I said outloud, "WOW"! You are amazing, and the music seems to go perfectly with these guys. I don't know how you do it!
I've been away for 2 weeks so it's great to get back and catch up on your blog and all you've been doing. I'm having a fun evening reading your thoughts,
Joan

Melinda said...

Hi Joan,
My goodness, I am so grateful for your generous comment. I'm glad you like the painting and the music.

It's kind of funny because putting the two together was accidental. Gee, come to think of it, the painting was a spontaneous event.

Thank you, thank you!