Random Thoughts on the Artistic Process

I did an interview with visual artist Marty Coleman in September. After the interview was posted, Marty wrote me a quick thank you. In response to his short comment, I wrote a not-so-short, stream of consciousness “your welcome” back and ended up thinking deeply about how the artistic process manifests itself across different disciplines, and specifically in my own life.

I wanted to share these thoughts with you, so I grabbed what I wrote and have posted it here — with a few clarifications along the way.

The Kingdom Of God: A Follow Up

Follow up
to
Inspiratus Interview
with Composer Greg Granoff

Read Part 1 of the Greg Granoff Interview
Read Part 2 of the Greg Granoff Interview

By the time I posted the Inspiratus interview with composer Greg Granoff, I had already sung two of his songs at The Mother Church in Boston where I perform each week.  I felt I had a real sense of his music by then, and I had become a true fan!

In his interview, Greg mentioned that his favorite song was “The Kingdom Of God.”

Well, when I first heard this song about a year ago, I was very moved by the beauty of its unique melodic and harmonic structures.  Shifting keys from minor to major and a constant conversation between the voice and keyboard fully engaged me and drew from me an immediate emotional response.  I was excited to explore this piece further, but I had to wait until last Sunday, September 13^th to sing the song in a service.

“The Kingdom Of God” is a dramatic song, and it tells a truly dramatic story.

On Success: Thinking Out Of The Box

John Carter, a baseball writer, wrote an insightful, honest comment in response to my Inspiratus interview with visual artist Marty Coleman. He is a friend of Marty’s from their high school days and he writes of being proud of Marty’s success in the world of art.  John also speaks of his own quest to understand success in his own life.

John’s thoughts really got me thinking.  I believe that his are questions that we all face:  What is success?  Who or what defines success?  According to any number of prevailing definitions, am I successful? If I feel that I am not, how do I find or achieve success?

As I pondered these questions recently, I found myself being led to re-read two books that have had a huge impact on me.

The first book is Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.

The second is A New Earth:  Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle.

These books are very different from one another, but both are radical and thought-provoking.  Their authors are each thinking out of the box.

Inspiration Infusion: Mr. B and His 5th Grade Chorus

Have you heard about “Mr. B” and his 5th grade chorus at PS 22 in New York City? Gregg Breinberg, director of the PS 22 chorus of 5th graders is an amazing, inspiring teacher who has reached the hearts and souls of his students through music.  He teaches at in an inner city public school in New York City’s borough of Staten Island.

This is a truly uplifting and affirming story of the power of love and dedication – and of the expectation and realization of the capabilities and possibilities inherent in every child.

So here’s your Inspiration Infusion: Listen to the PS 22 Chorus sing “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac:

Interview with Visual Artist Marty Coleman – Part 2

He MAKEs Absorbent Art:
An Interview with
Visual Artist Marty Coleman
Part 2

Read Part 1 of  Marty’s Interview

In Part 1, Marty Coleman spoke of his artistic roots and artists who have influenced his work.  Marty also shared some of his thoughts on his own unique approach to the creative process both in his art and his life.  This approach led him in some surprising directions, one of which was the creation of his “napkin art”…

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JW:  Marty, can you talk a little bit about being The Napkin Dad?  I love the story of how you came to do this.

Interview with Visual Artist Marty Coleman – Part 1

He MAKEs Absorbent Art:
An Interview with
Visual Artist Marty Coleman
Part 1

Read Part 2 of Marty’s Interview

Marty Coleman is a visual artist who has been working in multiple mediums throughout his career.  Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Marty works in his own photography, design and art studio, MAKE Studio. In 2008, Marty’s “napkin art” piece “America The Beautiful” was included in Time Magazine’s Person Of The Year 2008 edition on Barak Obama.  Recently, Marty  published his first book, ‘The Napkin Dad’s Book of Absorbent Ideas’.

Visual Artist Marty Coleman

I knew Marty from my college days in San Jose, California at SJSU.  Marty was earning his Master of Fine Arts degree, and I was an undergrad music major.  During those student years, we became friends at a successful downtown dining establishment and art gallery, Eulipia Restaurant, where we were fellow waiters.  Eulipia was well known for its California Cuisine, and it was a major gathering place for artists, art aficionados, opera enthusiasts, serious art collectors and diners.  Indeed, it was a deeply creative (and truly gastronomic) atmosphere in which to work.

Almost twenty years went by where Marty and I completely lost touch, and through the Facebook revolution, we recently reconnected.  Back in the day, Marty was the wise-cracking sage who presided over the less experienced wait staff (I was in that group for a time).  Today, it is fascinating and fun to catch up with Marty on his progress and evolution as a full-time independent artist.

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Here’s our interview/conversation:

No Emotion

This is an article by Peter Link from his blog Sparks From The Fire.  “No Emotion” is a response to one singer’s feelings about how music should (or should not) be performed  in a church worship service. Peter’s answer, written from the point of view  of a lyricist/composer of inspirational songs,  is an illuminating and even instructive  jumping off point for further discussion…

There is so much to explore on this subject!  At least that is true for me as I continue the journey of performing inspirational music in the church worship service.  I hope this article will spark ideas for you and your services.

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No Emotion
by
Peter Link

A woman called several weeks ago to thank me for a sacred song I’d written that she sang as a solo in church. We had a most friendly talk and near the end of the conversation she said proudly, “I just want to assure you that I sing your songs with absolutely no emotion.”

Interview with Composer Greg Granoff – Part 2

Music Chose Him:
An Interview with
Inspirational Composer Greg Granoff
Part 2

My interview with composer Greg Granoff kicks off a new part of Inspiratus.
It will be featuring interview/conversations with artists of all kinds.
The idea is to explore just how inspiration, creativity, and spirituality all play a role in the development, creation and reception of an artist’s work.

===================================

Read Part One of my interview with Greg Granoff

To continue with our conversation, Watchfire Music Composer Greg Granoff has spoken in depth about his approach to composition and his thoughts on creativity. Greg also mentioned his work in the Music Department at Humbolt State University.

Wisdom is more precious than rubies…

“Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.

Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.

Interview with Composer Greg Granoff – Part 1

Music Chose Him:
An Interview with
Inspirational Composer Greg Granoff
Part 1

My interview with composer Greg Granoff kicks off a new part of Inspiratus.
It will be featuring interview/conversations with artists of all kinds.
The idea is to explore just how inspiration, creativity, and spirituality all play a role in the development, creation and reception of an artist’s work.

===================================

Watchfire Music Composer Greg Granoff writes sacred music with great skill and craftsmanship. In particular, his is a catalogue of beautiful, sophisticated vocal solos scored for both the organ and piano, and composed with a harmonic language uniquely Greg’s own.

Here’s my conversation with Greg Granoff:

JW: What is your earliest memory of music?

GG: I don’t know that I can speak about the earliest one with any certainty; I remember various things, all from my time as a small boy. I have a distinct memory of my earliest piano lessons — I was about 5. I remember very early hearing my father play the piano in the evenings after I was in bed–that had a huge effect on me. I remember the 78 rpm records my father played of Russian and Mexican folk music; I remember my mother strumming the guitar and picking out folk songs; I remember them both listening to the Metropolitan Opera on Sunday afternoons; and I remember being glued to the record player even while others my age were out playing in the street.

I was equally captivated by Burl Ives or a Beethoven symphony. I remember dreaming about music.

Poetry and Art Smash Against Life on the 38th Floor

Marcia Pelletiere is not only a founding member of The Accidentals, a prize-winning a capella group based in New York City, but she also happens to be an amazing poet and writer.

About five years ago, Marcia wrote a body of poetry that eventually culminated in a truly original collection of songs – her double CD “Little Noises.”

Marcia wrote twenty-six evocative poems and then called in the troops:  many of her great musician friends, musical luminaries including Joy Askew, Richard Barone, Peter Link, Christy O’Leary, Vernon Reid, Suzzy Roche, Terre Roche, Catherine Russell, and The Accidentals, — and asked them to each set one of her poems to music.

What a herd she caught!  What a gaggle of sounds!  What a stampede of notes and colors and feelings… Oh, what a truly great idea to bring this brood of eclectic artists together in one CD, all corralled by the exquisite words of Ms. Pelletiere.

Marcia recorded a lot of this project in our studio.  I’d known her for years — I had been to many an Accidental concert and seen her at many recording sessions — but it was during Little Noises that we really became friends.

Soul’s Perfection: A Story of Receptivity

I tell you what, this business of planning and programming Inspirational music way ahead of the actual church service is serious stuff.  Generally, I choose solos 4 to 12 weeks in advance of each service.

In order to make those choices, I study the content of each future sermon.  I research available music selections that will highlight an aspect of that sermon or support the overall message.  I also have to get lyrics approved by the folks who maintain the consistency of message within each service.

With planning so far in advance, as I get closer to the actual performance, sometimes I have to rediscover why I chose a piece in the first place.

Here’s an example:  I performed a beautiful song entitled “Soul’s Perfection” by Carolyn Kardinal for a Sunday sermon whose subject was “Everlasting Punishment.” Ugh.  Heavy theme.  But actually, the point of the Lesson-sermon was Redemption — God’s everlasting love for His creation.

During the week leading to the performance of this song, I suddenly found myself very troubled about the lyrics.  I loved the lyrics, but I was suddenly confronted with major doubts.

Have I Got A Song For You! – Part 2

Many of you who regularly search for that next great piece of music to sing in your worship service — You Know Who You Are — have asked about the solo I performed on June 7, 2009. The occasion was the day of Sunday Services preceding the Monday Annual Meeting of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, 2009.

As many of you know, this year’s theme for Annual Meeting was “One Accord, One Place.” The Sunday Services definitely supported this theme.

After going down many different roads of exploration, in search of that perfect song, the right idea for the solo just floated to the surface in a very quiet moment. That’s usually how it happens for me.

A New Day at WatchFireMusic.com

Hey all you Watchfire Music Friends, Fans, Customers, Browsers and Newbies!!

We’ve been Very Busy Bees at Watchfire Music. Six months ago, we embarked on a project of immense proportions. We knew it was big, but the more we dug in, somehow, the bigger it became! This project was the updating and rebuilding of watchfiremusic.com. We projected a June 1st launch, then told you all that “good things come to those who wait,” and we kept working…

Well, it’s here at last. On July 8, 2009, we launched the NEW site. We call it Watchfire Music 2.0. Have you seen it yet? If not, please click right here and check it out!

New Hymns: An Open Letter

It’s always momentous when something new is added to a church’s worship materials, especially when the new materials are intended for regular use.  You know what I mean.  No matter what your religious affiliation, there are traditions and ways of doing things that are time-honored and beloved.  For some, having New Things added to the Tried and True represent a bit of a challenge – yes, even Change.  For others, this Change is welcomed with open arms.  But no matter what, that Change is hopefully seen as Progress.

Here is an excellent case in point:  The Christian Science Hymnal was last published in 1932.  Along with several generations of Christian Scientists, I grew up with the hymns in this hymnal, loving them and singing them from day one, continuing through to today.

And then last year in 2008, a brand new Supplement to the Christian Science Hymnal was published.  As a musician and Inspirational singer, this was indeed very momentous for me and very welcome and exciting!