Paris painter

Posted on November 5, 2012 by admin

This weekend, I went to the Loft Arts Association with the hope of meeting some emerging artists and viewing their work. Whenever I think of painters, I always end up thinking of a young painter whom I never met but whose memory resurfaces whenever I think of this kind of medium. So much so that I ended up writing about him.

Some say photography is fine art, others that its role is solely to document.

The photograph below belongs to the latter camp and the story you are about to read is one of 25 short photograph stories I wrote in December 2005. Each story was written about a photograph and was based largely on fact, with some elements of fiction. These have never been published.

The style of writing was aimed at two young readers: my ‘nephews’. I would often tell them stories but for this particular Christmas I wanted to give them an Advent calendar with a difference. So, on the first of December and each day until Christmas Day, they were emailed a photograph and its corresponding story. Of all the short stories I wrote, Paris Painter still resonates.

When you read the story, you may understand why.

Paris Painter – Day 14

Sunday afternoon promenades are a common occurrence in Paris. It’s one of the things Parisians do best: taking a tour around Le Jardin du Luxembourg, Buci Marché or the cobbled side streets of the Quartier Latin. However, the 4th Arrondissement, known as Le Marais, has a real medieval feel to it and is a favourite haunt of mine. In the heart of Le Marais lies the Jewish quarter, a delight for enjoying a weekend-away stroll.

But this calm and picturesque quartier has had its share of hard times. Rue des Rosiers still has plaques on the street buildings displaying the Star of David. There are many Stars of David. Too many. Each Star has inscribed some sad tale of residents young and old being taken away by the German SS, never to return. The misery has since disappeared and now clothes boutiques, cafes and delicatessens replace former dwellings.

Or so we thought.

One day we were ambling along Rue des Francs Bourgeois when we came upon a small alleyway. In the alleyway lay a young man sleeping. Unlike the chic clothes shops opposite, his clothes were frayed and displayed many shades of one colour: the city streets. His fingers, however, were engrained with vivid colours. Hues of deep red and passion purple, sand dust ochre and linen white.

Paris Painter

Paris Painter

 A near-empty bottle of whisky lay by his side, as were scatterings of chalks and crayons, oils and paint brushes. Looking more closely, we saw worn canvasses; they too being seasoned dwellers of the alleyway. Each painting was very similar in design: random and wild, portraying different faces. Further within the alley were crumpled canvasses, framed in old bits of wood nailed together. Each depicted some poor, crucified soul screaming out for salvation or forgiveness. My friend crossed the street, checked he was alright, hesitated, then left a little something near his brushes. We weren’t sure this would help or hinder, but it was something.

Six months later, a leading newspaper ran a story about a gallery owner who had discovered a young Paris painter lying in an alleyway in Le Marais district. ‘It must have been the same man’ I thought. The article went on to say that the gallery owner had bought many of the young painter’s canvasses and that they became highly sought after.

There were two additional facts in the article: the young artist had lost his memory and was extremely sick and in hospital.

 It was such a bittersweet newspaper article.

The following Spring, I was travelling in the States when I received a text message from my friend. A mutual friend of ours currently living in Paris had heard some news on the radio that a young Paris painter passed away peacefully in the early hours of the morning after a long illness.

It’s a strange feeling, when someone touches your life and they never even know it.

And the young painter? He’s never too far from my thoughts.

 

Kathy

 

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Introducing ‘Heaven in Your Eyes’: The Music Video

Posted on October 25, 2012 by admin

 ‘Heaven in Your Eyes’ is available as a free download on 26th October for five days only.

Talking to Music Video Director, Markus Innocenti
Markus Innocenti was one of the top music video directors of the 1980s. He started out as a production designer for the likes of Simple Minds, XTC, Big Country, George Michael, Joan Armatrading and many others. As a director he worked with Jimmy Page, Paul Rogers, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts, Ringo Starr, Aretha Franklin, Eurythmics and Bob Dylan. With a resume like that, you’d think he’d have continued with such a stellar career — but by the early 90s he’d had enough and turned to non-music related film projects. But a chance meeting with Kathy Muir has brought Markus back into the music video world, directing five new videos of songs taken from Kathy’s new album “Far From Entirely”. We had an opportunity to sit down with Markus at his home in North Hollywood and throw a few questions his way.

How Do You Begin To Create A Music Video?
When I know I’m going to be making a music video for an artist, I like to start a conversation. I want to know who they are creatively, what moves them, what brought them to the song, how it connects with them. I then try to establish who the artist is, what it is about themselves that they want to project out into the world. In the past, this has been sometimes easy and natural, but most often it’s been the other way. I’ve made videos for artists who simply wanted to make a lot of money very quickly, and others who thought the conversation was tedious and asked me just to speak to their manager or their record company and get a ‘brief’. I never enjoyed making those videos, because I couldn’t be sure how my own connection with the song was relating to the artist’s creative spark. I don’t think the resulting videos were much good and if that was the only kind of work I ever did, I’d consider myself a failure as a music video director. But I was lucky. I made videos for many artists who wanted to have the conversation, who wanted me to know what is was that drove them to write and perform that particular song, who wanted me to understand the intent they had, and how they wanted their audience to see them and find their work. Bill Wyman from the Rolling Stones was one of those artists. So was Annie Lennox. Bob Dylan too, in fewer words than you can imagine.  But soon, there were too many of the other kind and I left the music video business.

That is, until last year. When I met Kathy Muir — and had a conversation.

What Came Out Of That Conversation?
Well, first — Kathy is passionate and enthusiastic about her craft and it’s always good to work with an artist who’s truly engaged! To be honest, I went into that conversation thinking that Kathy was one of those singer/songwriters who had a ‘tough-girl’, ‘street-wise’ image to project so my mind was already figuring out how to do that — gritty streets, industrial landscapes, stark black and white imagery, aggressive camerawork, an alienated persona. Actually, some of that remains in the first video we did, “Ties of Love”, but got turned around in the final production into something much more thoughtful and wistful once I’d seen where Kathy was coming from. It was also a pleasant surprise to find an artist at Kathy’s emerging stage who cared so much for other art forms, like photography, design, sculpture and painting, and who was so passionate about nature and the environment. It was soon clear to me that Kathy’s artistry wasn’t inward-looking nor was it self-absorbed. Her creativity springs from her interest in things outside music and her passion to somehow bring those interests into her music in a way that makes the personal insights she has so much bigger. That was going to be a challenge, because our conversation revealed that I’d have to think much more deeply about what we were doing if the videos were going to express her viewpoint.

Isn’t Making Music Videos Expensive? Was Budget A Concern?
At the end of the day, budgets don’t matter. A music video made with a 50-person crew and a fleet of equipment trucks parked on the location can be less intense, less interesting and a lot less creative than the video made by one guy with a cheap camera and a computer. But let me rephrase that. At the end of the day, budgets do matter — if you want to impress with sheer size and scale. With some notable exceptions, those big budget productions tend to over-shadow the song and fade from the memory almost as quickly as the producers spent the money. For an emerging artist, an expensive, tricksy, high-end production is about the last thing you need. That’s a personal opinion but I think it holds up. One of the reasons I wanted to work with Kathy — and this is from a technical viewpoint — is that I’ve become interested in ‘micro-budget’ filmmaking. In the past three years I’ve directed or produced four full-length features, all made for less money than the cost of a good used car. So, I’m aware of new digital technologies. Now, you may not get as slick a production when you go ‘micro-budget’ but not every project needs to be glossy and expensive. I’ve now directed five videos with Kathy, and I’ve been adding more equipment as we go, so the way the camera moves, the lenses I use and the lighting I have keeps getting better — but until we did “The Piano Plays A Melody” I was the only person on the crew.

Can You Tell Us Something About The Making of “Heaven In Your Eyes”?
Kathy and I made “Heaven” early on. I had a $600 camera, a $50 tripod and a single 50mm lens. Luckily, we had the greatest Production Designer, the best Art Director and the most amazing Lighting Gaffer of all time on our team. Nature. Kathy had spoken a lot about how the natural world affected her and her music so much, and of her interest in the environment and pioneer environmentalist, John Muir. I asked if she’d ever been to Muir’s birthplace and the country park that had been established in his name. At the time, I just happened to living within 5 miles of it — so we went on a location scout to Dunbar, Scotland where Muir was born and suddenly there’s this huge grin on Kathy’s face.  This was back in February/March 2012. It was frosty but the sky was bright and clear. We started the shoot on one of Scotland’s most lovely beaches — Thorntonloch. As we were working I began to get concerned that there wasn’t enough movement in the shots. I needed motion. I needed Kathy walking — so I could place her in this amazing vista of sea, sky and sand. Remember, I only had a camera, a cheap and shaky tripod, and a single lens. It was time to get out the ‘Kurosawa Dolly’. The ‘Kurosawa Dolly’ isn’t a piece of equipment at all — although I’ve been known to tease crew guys by asking them to get it off the truck. It’s a technique, brought to us by the great Japanese filmmaker, Akira Kurosawa. Here’s how it works. Set your camera on its tripod. Place your subject (in this case, Kathy) far enough away to get the ‘size’ you want — from close up to wide shot. I chose to put Kathy into a mid-shot, about twenty feet from the camera. Next, keeping the same distance away, walk a circle around the camera position, making scuffs marks in sand or dirt so the subject can see the ‘circle’. Finally, roll camera and call ‘Action’. Kathy duly marched around the circle, lip-syncing to the sound that was playing (weakly) out of a portable CD player she’d bought at a Thrift Store.  I operated the camera, making a full 360 while keeping her in the frame as she walked the circle. She thought I was mad — until she saw the footage. When you look at the edited film, the ‘Kurosawa Dolly’ makes it seem as if the subject is walking in a straight line and is being followed by a camera on a long dolly track. Even with a cheap tripod it looks pretty good!

I was so pleased, I took out the ‘Kurosawa Dolly’ again when we went to the woods in John Muir Country Park. It was harder for Kathy to walk the circle over rough ground — but the look of concentration on her face contributes to the intensity of the song and the feelings she’s putting over.

Where Do You Go From Here?
Working with Kathy, I became so interested in music video again that I decided to start a new production company — Red Dog Logic — specializing in ‘micro-budget’ videos. Right now, I’m busy upgrading equipment and editing systems so I can offer a state-of-the-art service. Early next year I’m working with legendary heavy-metal bassist Chris Glen (Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Ian Gillan, Michael Schenker Group) on a long-form project that we’re both very excited about.  Currently, I’m back in the US, and it looks as if I’ll be working with Kathy again in Connecticut later this year. She’s being very productive right now — dare I say, prolific! — so I’m looking forward to hearing her new material.

Markus Innocenti
Los Angeles, October 2012

Posted in Creative process, Nature, Uncategorized, Videos | Leave a comment

Introducing ‘Heaven in Your Eyes’: The Song

Posted on October 22, 2012 by admin

‘Heaven in Your Eyes’ is available as a free download on 26th October for five days only.

Each song in the Far From Entirely album has its own story to tell. Lyrics have been written in cafes, on buses, in hotel rooms, on airplanes, late at night and early in the morning. Melodies have developed either out of 5 notes, 4 bars, 2 chords, are triggered by a cool bass line, a sweet steel guitar and in too many other ways to mention here.

The moment a symbiotic relationship unfolds between lyrics and melody is when a song truly takes root.

I had written ‘Heaven In Your Eyes’ in my home studio. A bass line was the trigger and helped me form the style of lyrics that would suit the song. The storyline started to evolve, as did the orchestration. Finally, I was happy with the arrangement and added the song to my ‘that’ll-go-on-the-debut-album-along-with-the-others’ list.

As some of you may know, working with Steve of Hi Top Productions made this dream become reality.

Five months into the recording of Far From Entirely, I sent Steve my home studio version of ‘Heaven In Your Eyes’ and we rebuilt the song. Now with polished instruments gleaming, I listened to ‘Heaven’. It sounded amazing, and had a new lease on life, a new feel to it too: expansive and atmospheric. I was excited.

I’m sure many songwriters would tell you they they’re never quite finished with a song. There’s always a part niggling them: a phrase they wished they had changed or an instrument they had put down after the song was recorded. This is because the creative process never stops, and artists are continually being influenced and are continually developing their skills and sensibilities. The key, however, is knowing when to stop making changes.

This new ‘Heaven’ triggered more ideas, which resulted in my laying down strings and piano to reflect them. Steve then layered in the parts and, slowly, the song was taking shape. When I returned to the U.S., I went into session and laid down the final vocals. Once at the mixing desk, we played back the song. It was good but there was something missing, something that had to not only rise above but sweep across all the other instruments. To date, we had not used electric guitar prominently on any of the songs. ‘Heaven’ became the first.

Firstly, we explored what should be added to the second verse as I could hear a voice/instrumental part. I sang to Steve what was playing in my head. Steve listened, then had an idea. He cued up the song just before the second verse, went over to a ledge that displayed various percussion instruments and picked up a small black device. He then turned and sat back down at the mixing console and picked up the Gibson acoustic guitar and set it on his lap. I was puzzled. ‘I thought we were going to use an electric guitar?’ I said. Steve smiled and replied ‘Just hear what I have in mind first’. He pressed play on the console, swapped the finger pick for this small device and placed it on top of the strings directly above the guitar’s sound hole.

As the first notes of the second verse began, so too did the gentle rise of ethereal notes from the Gibson. ‘This is an Ebow’, said Steve. ‘It gives an interesting sound to string instruments and is kind of haunting’, don’t you think?’ I closed my eyes and listened to him play slow and steady root notes. It was so simple, it was beautiful: in my mind’s eye I could see seascapes, sand dunes, and a winter’s beach. We rehearsed, fine-tuned and tracked the part, then moved on to the remaining part of the song that needed some attention: the final chorus.

We repeatedly played back the bridge until I found a ‘voice’ that began to take form. This is how it works with me now: I use my voice to translate parts that I hear in my head for a song, and then decide which to track as vocals and which as instruments. It’s kind of like a vocal ‘toolkit’.

As I sang the part, Steve played his electric guitar and ‘traced’ the notes with me until my voice subsided and his guitar was the only sound we heard. It was loud. It was atmospheric. It was staying in.

And that is what you hear today.

Although long, the ‘Heaven’ session really was one of the most satisfying, probably because so much of the song developed in real time and that is such a great buzz. When a session actually involves the finishing of a song, the walk home is especially memorable. It is often slow, is very sweet, and is occasionally joined in solidarity by its liquid cousin: a strong pint of cider at the local Irish pub Tigín.

Sláinte

Kathy

kathymuir.com      facebook.com/theleens      @theleens

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Ducks

Posted on October 9, 2012 by admin

I’ve been meaning to tell you a sweet story for a while now.

After three months of being in the States, it was time for me to return home for a short break. After the 14-hour airport-plane-airport-plane trip, the best feeling in the world was the cab ride home and seeing the Pentland Hills in the distance. Once the driver pulled up by the roadside and I paid the fare, I trundled up my driveway with suitcase in tow.

I reached for my house keys, put a key in the lock and opened the communal front door. It looked like I wasn’t the only one who had been away for a while. On the ground there lay a pile of letters, flyers and business correspondence. I peeked behind the door. ‘So that was why!’ The mail basket was bursting at the gills, causing other mail to shower the ground.

I clumsily gathered together the correspondence in all its shapes and guises. As I tried to make them into an orderly pile to enable me to carry them upstairs, I saw a very small postcard and picked it up. The image on the front showed an elderly gentleman sitting in a wheelchair, with a young woman standing behind him holding the wheelchair steady. The man was wrapped in a winter coat and scarf, and a blanket lay on his legs. He was looking down at the canal near his feet. By the edge of the canal, one could see a group of ducks congregating around for their elevenses.  From the scene on the postcard it was clear the elderly man had been feeding the ducks.

I wondered who the postcard was for and turned it over. There was an address on the right hand side but it was not for me. It was not for anyone in our building. The postie had delivered it to the wrong address. What also became clear was that this was no ordinary postcard. There were indeed the common markings: address on the right hand side on prepared horizontal lines, stamp top right, brief message on the left hand side and vertical line dividing the two parts. However, the dividing line was hand drawn with a ruler as were the lines for the address. This was a photograph.

What a wonderful idea and such a sweet thought. I curiously read the brief message. The elderly gentleman was saying hello to his daughter, talking about the ducks, how well he was despite the cold weather and hoped to see her soon. The date stamp was 3 March. Today’s date was 1 June.  My heart jumped.

Before I returned to the States, I put the postcard into an envelope and wrote a letter explaining its reason for being in my possession.  I finished by hoping her father was still well and that she would enjoy the postcard finally being in the hands of its rightful owner.

Weeks later and back into the US east coast rhythm, I returned home one evening, picked up the mail from my mailbox and went upstairs to my apartment. I opened the door, put on the kettle and started to sift through the mail. Amidst the correspondence was a plastic envelope from the Royal Mail Redirection service. I tore it open and  found one solitary letter. The handwriting was unfamiliar to me. I picked up a knife and sliced open the envelope. As I reached inside, three 20 pence coins fell out. Intrigued, I read the letter.

Elaine was the daughter of the elderly gentlemen. She thanked me for mailing the postcard and wrote that her dad’s care worker had mentioned that they were sending on a postcard but it never arrived. And now she knew why!

I looked at the letter in my hand and stared at the three 20 pence pieces. At that moment I felt a spurt of joy:  kind gestures make us feel so good and cost nothing.

More importantly, I do love happy endings!

KathyPennies and kind words

 

 kathymuir.com      facebook.com/theleens      @theleens

 

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Radio, Newspapers and Letters

Posted on October 4, 2012 by admin

We’re now into early October: the scent of autumn in the air and that gentle evening bite that has you pulling your sweater close. Aye, the season has changed and we’re moving towards cooler climes, but not before looking back.

September was a great month.

Mortagne-sur-Gironde

I spent time with my family in France and practiced speaking the lingo a little. Listening to Euterpia Radio, France Inter and Le Mouv’ these last few months certainly helped prepare for the vacation. Being with family is the best.

I learned that ‘open mic’ is ‘mic ouvert’ but few bars existed in our part of the French countryside <Kathy scrathes chin and thinks ‘hmm, potential there’ >.

I also spent time using my iPhone video in the old country kitchen, as I thought you might like to know more about the song-writing process. Therefore, I recorded the real-time writing of a song, working title ’jazz’. I have always loved the beginning of the song-writing process: the guitar, an idea or a melody or words and how it grows (hopefully) into something good.

Kitchen writing

In this case, ‘jazz’ stemmed from playing with two chords. It’s rough in places, but if any of you like the debut album, you’ll know that the songs eventually come out ‘polished’ and well-produced.

Once I’m closer to completing the set of videos (3/4) I’ll release the first one on You Tube and at kathymuir.com. They’re not too long. If you have any feedback or suggestions, please, please feel free to write to me.

I also thought you might want to hear a radio interview with James Lowe of KJAG Radio which took place on September 17th. http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-81009/TS-667606.mp3. This was my first interview and was kind of exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. Anyways, I hope it gives you a little more insight into where I’m coming from and what I’m trying to do musically.

To cap off the month, my greatest reward was having the Edinburgh Evening News publish a story about John Muir and my song ’Sweet and Easy’ which is dedicated to him. My own home town, the Capital of Scotland. It doesn’t get much better…

Finally, as part of my interest in the 1920′s/1930′s, there is a great series of letters written by Boxcar Girls and Boys, which really helps you understand what it was like around The Depression and riding the rail trains. These helped to inspire the latest song ‘Ride These Times‘. I can write more about music in the next Newsletter, but thought some of you may like to read these wonderful letters. http://erroluys.com/HoboLettersfromRidingtheRails.htm

Have yourselves a good week and thanks for reading and listening.

 

Kathy

 

kathymuir.com      facebook.com/theleens      @theleens

 

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Introducing ‘Sweet and Easy’: The Video Part 3

Posted on September 14, 2012 by admin

The Seattle Camera Club (1924-1929)

In my mind, there are two camps of thought: those who believe your life is already mapped out for you and those who believe your life is carved out by the actions you take.

I am not sure which one I believe more. What I do know is that my being gifted ‘Shadows of a Fleeting World’, written by David F. Martin and Nicolette Bromberg, has enriched my appreciation of art in a very beautiful and arresting way.

The book describes how the Seattle Camera Club was formed and provides an insight into their lives long after the club disbanded. Thanks to the club’s members, their work helped pictorial photography become a recognised art form in the salons of that era, formerly only reserved for paintings. Indeed, in 1928, of the ten most displayed photographers globally, seven were SCC members

Most important of all the book shows their work.

By the time you finish reading ‘Shadows’ you not only feel you have viewed some truly wonderful photographs but that you have gained an insight into these artists’ lives and what they were trying to achieve.

Below are some of the key members and an extract taken from ‘Shadows’ which tells you a little more about the Club.

In the mid-1920s a group of immigrant Japanese-American Pictorialist photographers in Seattle came together to form the Seattle Camera Club in order to share their love of photography. While the club only lasted from 1924-1929, it was amazingly successful. Members exhibited their work all over the world and their photographs were widely published and won many awards. Sadly, most of their work was lost over time for various reasons, including the internment of the Japanese during WWII.
The activities of SCC photographers paralleled those of members of Japanese immigrant photography clubs in Los Angeles and San Francisco, but the SCC was distinguished by its enthusiastic and successful efforts to recruit non-Japanese members and by its monthly journal, Notan, which more than any other factor preserved SCC activities for posterity. Despite the pervasive racism that prevented Japanese immigrants from gaining citizenship, the work of SCC members was well received, finding prizes, purchasers, and general acclaim. Acknowledging the prominence of West Coast camera club photographers, the editor of the 1928 The American Annual of Photography wrote, “the influence of this group on our Pacific coast has put a lasting mark on photography in this country, the repercussions of which are echoing throughout the world.”
The word Pictorialist was used to describe both the photographic style as well as the photographer who used the medium for artistic expression. The range of styles associated with Pictorialism followed parallel painting trends such as Tonalism, Symbolism and especially Impressionism whose preoccupation with transient light effects was perfectly suited to photography. To achieve their results, the photo artists used innovative darkroom techniques and processes to manipulate their negatives and prints into unique compositions that were compatible with their contemporaries in the fields of painting and printmaking. (Source: University of Washington, David Martin).

After reading ‘Shadows’ I felt compelled to see the photographs for myself. Therefore, I flew to Seattle, arranged an appointment with Nicolette and hopped on a bus to the UW Libraries’ Special Collections department. Nicolette welcomed me warmly, provided me with a pair of white gloves and showed me to a desk. She then pointed to a bookcase on wheels which contained 14 archival boxes and I proceeded to spend that Friday afternoon with the entire collection of Dr. Kyo Koike’s photographs. He was meticulous with his record keeping and next to the photographs he submitted to salons and exhibitions, Koike would append the invite or award of each event. I also saw all of Frank Kunishige’s work, quite different in style to that of Koike. Kunishige made his own paper and I had   to be extremely careful when handing his photographs.

After enjoying a 4-day Yosemite backpacking tour, I returned to Seattle to make a second visit to the UW and view Matsushita’s photographs. As well as his pictorial work, there are family albums and many photos with his wife, Hanaye, and Koike as they hike on Mt. Rainier.

On the day I left Seattle, I paid a special visit to David’s ‘friends’.

Columbarium

Somehow, the learning from all the words I had read and the photographs I had seen, finally came to life when I opened the door to the ‘Into the Light’ chamber and saw before me the columbarium which contains the remains of Kunishige and Matsushita. I wasn’t prepared for it.

I spent some time talking to these photographers and made a promise that I would try my best to raise awareness of their work and those of the other SCC members. They’ve inspired one of my songs and currently two ‘works-in-progress’, so they might inspire others.

To that end I decided to create a special site within my website called ‘Sweet and Easy-The Untold Story‘. The main focus of the site is to tell the story of the SCC in an appealing yet informative manner. Thanks to the support of David and the UW, as well as Amy Purdie and Jan Broderick the web designer and web master respectively, the website launched on the morning of 14 September.

I sought to gather all the sites, locations and mentions of the SCC scattered across the internet and place them in one central location so that people can truly get a sense of these great artists. It’s been a labour of love and I only hope you see through my eyes what I was trying to achieve.

They say art is permanent energy. If so, and I am able to raise awareness of the work of the Seattle Camera Club (www.seattlecameraclub.com), then their energy will be around for most of my lifetime and beyond. That thought makes me happy.

The UW website shows only a small portion of the digitised collection and funds are much needed to digitise the rest of their work so that they can be enjoyed for future generations. See the page on the site entitled ‘Here Today, Gone Tomorrow’ which tells you a little more.

In the words of David ‘I hope you enjoy the life and art of these amazing people’. I do.

Personal note from David Martin

- Kathy

 

 

 

kathymuir.com      facebook.com/theleens      @theleens

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Introducing ‘Sweet and Easy’: The Video Part 2

Posted on September 13, 2012 by admin

Elizabeth Colborne (1885 – 1948)

When we were in Seattle in June 2011, a good friend of mine suggested I see an exhibition at the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, which is about 90 miles north of Seattle. The exhibition was a once-in-a-lifetime event because it held the largest collection of the works of woodblock printer Elizabeth Colborne.

The journey was worth it. The exhibition showed just how eclectic her work was: the children’s book illustrations were exquisite, as were the black-and-white crayon drawings but it was the wonderfully vibrant woodblock prints that captured me. Click here to see some examples.

David F. Martin  was the guest curator who recognized the significance of Colborne’s work and wrote the catalogue for the exhibition Evergreen Muse: The Art of Elizabeth Colborne.  The book is a wonderful presentation of Colborne’s works as well as an insight into her personality thanks to the inclusion of entries taken from her journal.

‘Elizabeth Aline Colburne (1885-1948) was one of the most accomplished artists ever active in Washington State. An integral part of the regional Arts and Crafts Movement, she is known today for her extraordinary color woodcuts produced during the 1920s and 1930s.

These prints depict the Pacific Northwest landscape in a technique that was highly influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e prints. Colborne elected to design, carve, and print her own editions, using brilliant colors and innovative, multiple overlay techniques. Evergreen Muse is the first in-depth study of her art and presents all the known color woodcuts that she created.

In addition to color woodcuts, Colborne made drawings in graphite and colored pencil, as well as small, intimate and highly detailed gouache paintings. Born in South Dakota, the artist divided her time between Bellingham, Washington, and New York, where she studied with Rockwell Kent, Robert Henri, and Allen Lewis and became a leading children’s book illustrator’ (Source: Amazon.com).

The Whatcom Museum and David F. Martin were extremely helpful in allowing me to use some of Colborne’s prints in the music video. Selecting which ones from the book was a difficult decision because there were so many beautiful examples of her work. However, my favourite is Lumber Mills on Bellingham Bay, mainly because the exhibition showed at least four woodblock prints of how Colborne worked with colour to change the mood of the scene.

‘Elizabeth Colborne quietly produced the strongest body of work in the colour woodcut medium of any regional artist of her generation. Her lack of pretense and disdain for self-promotion kept her work mostly unknown to the general public. However, with the timeless quality of the subject matter she so deeply loved, along with her sophisticated and technical mastery and skill, assure her an important place in the art history of the Pacific Northwest’. David F. Martin

- Kathy

 

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Introducing ‘Sweet and Easy’: The Video Part 1

Posted on September 12, 2012 by admin

John Muir, Elizabeth Colborne and The Seattle Camera Club were the inspiration for the song Sweet and Easy.  A good friend of mine introduced me to the work of these artists. Perhaps you’ll understand why.

John Muir: Scottish-American naturalist and preservationist

How I wish I could say I were related to John Muir, the naturalist. Alas, it is only in namesake.

John Muir and Kathy Muir

Muir is known for so many things. According to Fred D. White’s Essential Muir, ‘Muir once described himself as a “poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist and ornithologist-naturalist”. It sounds whimsical, yes, but it nicely reflects his desire to fuse rational and investigative sensibilities with aesthetic and spiritual ideas – to be both naturalist and nature celebrant’. Whether nature or nurture, it really makes little difference, for Muir’s legacy has had an immense impact on this songwriter. First I discovered his words, and then I discovered Yosemite.

John Muir has the ability to describe something you have never before seen but which immediately seizes your mind’s eye as he takes you there in an instant: he remembers the fragrance of Scottish sea winds as a boy that, 19 years later, would awaken his senses whilst in Florida, far from the coast; he compares a storm-beaten book he found in Yosemite Valley, comparing its crumbly outer pages yet well preserved inner pages ‘to the great open book of Yosemite glaciers today’.

He is by far my favourite author and though I may never travel to see Alaska’s glaciers, visit all America’s national parks or wonder at all the great mountains of California, through his writing I can’t help but become a part of his effusive enthusiasm for nature.

As with Muir in 1868, I too visited Yosemite based on only ever reading about it and I too was overwhelmed by the landscape.

Half Dome

The Sweet and Easy music video contains some key images of Muir, which I hope you enjoy. The words of the song should tell you much about this ‘man of the mountain, man of the sea’ and the stories he tells which continue to inspire so sweetly and with such ease.

- Kathy

 

 

kathymuir.com
Facebook/theleens
@theleens

 

Posted in Art, Nature, Places, Stories, Videos | 1 Comment

Introducing ‘Sweet and Easy’: The Song

Posted on September 11, 2012 by admin

The music video for Sweet and Easy comes out on Friday as a free download for a limited time. Before then, I really wanted to tell you of what actually went into making this song, the video and ultimately a new website launching on Friday called www.seattlecameraclub.com.

In equal doses, I think artists are as insecure about the quality of their art as they are biased about its originality. This artist is no different: Sweet and Easy holds a special place in my heart. On many levels.

This was the first song I recorded with Steve Hansen of Hi-Top Productions. I had been travelling weekly between London and Edinburgh for nearly two years, which isn’t as wonderfully jet setting as it sounds. You’re neither in one place nor the other, no routine to speak of and desperate not to waste time and miss out on opportunities to be creative. I had my studio at home and had been working on songs for the debut album. I was pretty happy with what we’d produced thus far.

I knew I would soon be spending two weeks in Stamford and, pondering this thought one midweek evening at London City Airport, wondered how I would spend the weekend. ‘Hotel US or hotel UK, what’s the difference?’ kept resonating in my head. So, I decided to Google ‘recording studios Stamford’.

Three entries appeared and Hi-Top seemed an interesting name for a studio so I looked around this site first. Compared to the other two, I kept coming back to Hi-Top because of something mentioned on the site: ‘Projects start with a preproduction meeting to discuss your goals and Steve Hansen will lend his expertise in developing your ideas to their greatest potential’.

I called the studio, spoke to Steve, mentioned I was coming out to Stamford and wondered if he was free over a weekend to record one of my songs, just basic vocal and guitar. Steve replied that this was an interesting request all the way from the UK and to call him once I arrived in Stamford so that we square up dates and times. I hung up the phone and looked out onto the golden tarmac in the evening sunset. ‘Deep breath Kathy’. This was a major turning point for me as my experience in studios had always been as a backing vocalist and I had left that all behind such a long time ago. Here I was, pushing my boundaries, getting out of my comfort zone and recording somewhere else. The USA no less.

A few days after I arrived in Stamford, called Steve and we arranged to meet on the Sunday afternoon. Our first meeting was excellent: we talked through what I wanted to do, I ran through the song, explained the lyrics, talked about possible arrangements and then went into the vocal booth to lay down a guide guitar track and vocal. It felt great getting direction.

We did one more session and then collaborated remotely for a few more weeks. When Steve sent me the first mix, I couldn’t believe this was how I really sounded. I knew then that I had to keep recording vocals with him until the album was done.

And that was the start of a journey that, nearly a year later, has seen us co-produce the debut album Far From Entirely and currently finds us halfway through producing the second album.

The mutual collaboration, creative direction and brilliant French coffee are as good as they have ever been.

Speaking of which, it’s time for a cuppa. Does anyone want one?

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Jezebel – Working with Red Dog Logic’s Markus Innocenti

Posted on August 24, 2012 by admin

Markus InnocentiJezebel was directed by Markus Innocenti, founder of Red Dog Logic, a production and post-production boutique utilizing mature and emerging digital technologies. This marks a milestone for both of us. ‘Jezebel’, released exclusively on August 26th, is my first music video release with Markus behind the camera. Conversely, I am the first artist to work with Markus since his re-entry into the music video business after a 20-year hiatus. Artists with whom Markus worked in the past included Annie Lennox, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Jimmy Page, Ringo Starr and Bill Wyman. So, what prompted this 20-year absence from the business and why return now?

Markus recalls he reached a tipping point where the artist and the songs he was being asked to direct failed to inspire and he realised the truth of a conversation with Annie Lennox in which she said that ‘the only way to succeed is to work with an artist or material that you truly care about’. Despite many requests over the years, Markus has declined all further offers. Until now.

Markus and I met each other in early 2012 in Scotland through mutual friends, and quickly grew to respect each other’s work and artistic integrity.

As a team, we have sought to express the cornerstones of my beliefs as an artist; that art, nature and creativity can not only co-exist across creative mediums but harmoniously and joyously combine. These founding principles continue to weave throughout our collaborative process as we embark on new videos for the second album.

Working with Markus, his attentiveness, his attention to detail and extraordinary ability to make one feel at ease on camera, has allowed me to be myself and in turn to gain deeper insights into my own material and how it can be portrayed.

Markus says ‘In the past few years, I have been focussing on producing and directing micro budget feature film drama. When I met and talked to Kathy, it re-ignited my interest in coming back into music video. Having now worked with Kathy on five videos for her new album ‘Far From Entirely’ I realise how much I missed working with truly creative musicians. In the future I aim to work on both drama and music projects and get a good balance between the two’.  Red Dog Logic uses Canon’s DSLR cameras and lenses, Apple’s Final Cut Studio and Avid’s Pro Tools and is based in both Los Angeles, USA and Glasgow, UK.

Jezebel is released on Facebook on 26th August as a free download for 5 days only.

 

www.kathymuir.com
www.markusinnocenti.com

 

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