Where Pianos Roam

Unusual Things

One could argue that I might have strange tastes in things.  In fact, there are some unusual objects that I have been known to collect.

I collect fun, patterned socks, for example.

Much like these .  .  .

OR, these (oooooooh) .  .  .

Or THESE!!!  (Sigh)

I also collect t-shirts with Madonna on them.  My sweet friend Chris just got me one for my birthday last week.  I'll post picks of it soon.

I've got my eye on getting this one in the near future:

On a few occasions, I've also mentioned that I collect original paintings and rare prints of pieces that I love.

Here is an image of a rare, treasured, textured, full-size print that I own.   It is a painting of a matador by Barbara Weber .  .  .

One small collection I keep is of vinyl albums with great covers.

Here is one that I have:

As you can see, I have an eye and a heart for the strangest things.

Oh well.

 

 

Early On a Sunday Morning

I'm not one to believe that earning a diploma or a degree, advanced or otherwise, gives a person an excuse to stop learning and studying. 

I've long considered myself a life-long student of my own passionate interests.

For example, I will study the piano until the sun sets for the final time in my life, whenever that will be.

Lately, I've been studying drawing--looking at the ways that light adds depth to any object and that color, however subtle or bold, is a language unto itself.  I will learn how to speak French one day, and I want to learn how to cook all of my Mom's yummy Filipino dishes. 

There's something charming about stumbling along at something new and something hugely gratifying that comes with getting better at it through hard work and the passage of time.

Lately I have been enamored of this:

 

I've taken steps to start learning something entirely new, and I am hoping it will add richness to what I am doing already. 

The video above is a hint of things to come .  .  .

Have you studied anything new lately?

Gordon's New Tattoo!

This past Saturday I celebrated my birthday!  Over the length of four days I was treated to an Ethiopian lunch, given a yummy Oreo milkshake from Jack in the Box, and had an evening of music-playing, board games, mixed drinks, and pizza with several dear friends.  These were not the only highlights.

I got my first tattoo.  I say "first" because now, a few days after, I realize that I might have started a small addiction.

On Saturday afternoon, August 28, my sister and I ventured off to get me branded.  I was originally going to get a dragon tattoo like I had always envisioned, but the tatto parlor we visited had neither the time nor the design I was looking for.

So, a little crestfallen at not accomplishing our goal, we went to get some milkshakes.  I remembered that there was a small tattoo shop near my neighborhood, and I suggested we head there for a visit.

Luckily, they had the time, and I decided on the perfect symbol to emblazon on my skin.

Here it is folks .  .  .

I decided on a treble clef. It is perhaps one of the most iconic symbols in music.  More than anything else right now, it represents who I am at my core--an artist and musician.  I love that it is universally recognizable, curvaceous, and soaking wet with whimsy.

It was perfect.

 So there you have it.  I have joined the millions of people who have artfully decorated their bodies.  I want to give a big shout-out and mad Asian props to my big sister Lullette for the encouragement and support.  This was part of her birthday gift for me.  She's pretty darn awesome.

 

Later that day, on a beer run for my birthday dinner party, someone I didn't know came up to me and asked me if I play piano.  Before I answered, I was puzzled as to how some random dude figured that out.

But then I looked down at my arm.

With a smile, I said "Yes, I do."

:-)

 

 

I LOVE this song!!!

LOL.  I would nominate this new solo song by Cee-Lo (of Gnarls Barkley) for Record of the Year at the Grammys.

Seriously, this is now stuck in my head.

You are forewarned.  There is adult language in this song, and it is not suitable for children.

I need to get a copy of this.  So. Awesome.

My New Pride Charlotte Poster

This week, I start promoting my performance at Pride Charlotte in Charlotte, NC on October 2.  I've mentioned in a few recent posts that I've been delving more into my visual art work.  As a result, I decided to draw and design the promotional poster for my performance.

This little project was a labor love full of asbstraction and whimsy, and with a sigh of relief, the end result is pretty satisfying for me.

I have other pieces I am working on.  This is just an understated suggestion of what is to come .  .  .

 

Stay tuned.  More shapes and colors are taking form.

Early On a Sunday Morning

Photo Credit

So, I thought I'd take a few moments this morning to share a few of my favorite KINDS of things.  Though not anything specific, these are objects and places that enrich my spirit whenever I either stumble upon them or make a pilgrimage to seek them out.  

These things give me great joy .  .  .

Seashores that cling to the ocean.

 

Photo Credit

Trees that cradle houses.

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The shape, the richness, and the sound of a cello.

Photo Credit

A garden made with diligent caring.

Photo Credit

Orchids painted with subtle grace.

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The sound, all giddy and musical, of children laughing.

Photo Credit

Elephants--mighty, gentle, and strong .  .  .

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Pint-sized domesticated lions.

 

Photo Credit

Wooden boxes that make magic and summon spirits.

The world is full of beautiful things.  I always try to take the time to enjoy them. 

Soak them in.  Consume them.

The flavors are sweet and smile-inducing.

 

A Tree Rooted In Water

Earlier this week, I added a new item to my music Merch Store.  It is the official promo poster for my album "Seahorses".  The original image was a photo beautifully taken by my sister Lullette M. that was part of the artwork for the CD insert.

Here is one of the images of the tree but with me standing next to it .  .  .

Once it was placed into the hands of a talented graphic artist named Benjamin Rumble here in Nashville, the end result was this:

The poster is a glossy 11X17 masterpiece, and it is available for only $6.00 (includes shipping and handling) while supplies last.  All of the proceeds go to support my music.

Again, you can go HERE to purchase it. 

It's Friday, folks.  Hope your weekend will be an awesome one!!

Edith

Last week, I bought a giraffe.  That's right.  I bought a giraffe.  Over the last couple of weeks, I noticed a large antique mall that I had never visited before off of Wedgewood Ave. in downtown Nashville.  I like to attack antique shops to look for a cool painting or two.  When I finally went into this place, I had walked through each booth growing more and more disappointed at not finding ANY artwork that appealed to me. 

Then, at one point, I reached a large corner booth and started to glare at every object, as I've been prone to doing lately.  There was a sizable wooden dining table in the middle of everything, and there she stood.  I was surprised that I didn't notice her first because she's a little bit tall.  Adorned in pastel green and blue stripes, I just marveled at her.  I have a fondness for objects that have a fun and whimsical quality about them.  She looked like she just stepped off a boat that came from an island with a magical forest.  Standing at a lanky height of 3'4", she had a formidable presence about her.

I wanted her, but I thought to myself, "Asian, what in the world would you do with a giraffe?".  Her $12 price tag wasn't already enough to convince me to buy her, and so, I decided to walk around some more and think about it.  I'm not one to spend my money frivolously, and so, every cent is carefully doled out. 

I whipped around to the front of the building where I found an old piano.  One of the store's clerks invited me to play, and I briefly did.  Afterwards, I mentioned my interest in the giraffe, and he said something that sealed the deal.  He said, sure, she will not have much practical usefulness, but, will she make you happy? 

The only answer I could think of was "Yes."  So, I walked with purpose back to that booth and grabbed her.  When I held her in my hands and carried her back to the cash register, I was thinking that this was probably what it felt like to be crowned Miss Universe and do a victory walk in front of thousands of people.  There's this sense of self-awareness and a feeling that something very special has just happened. 

I can only imagine how silly I must have looked holding this huge giraffe in my hand and smiling from ear-to-ear.  That's okay.  Life needs to be silly once in a while.  :-)

Thankfully, she didn't mind doing a little photo shoot the other day in a corner of my room by my window. 

I love this giraffe so much.  Here is a full body shot.  She is a statuesque beauty. 

Sigh.

 I swear.  Every time I look over at her, I can't help but smile.  She was truly a worthwhile investment.

I might even make her a stylish little shawl.  How dorktastic is that!!?!

 

Oreo and Buttercup were apprehensive at first because she towers over them.  They warmed up once they got to know her.  

The clerk at the antique mall said that all objects have an energy about them.  They carry their own history and heritage wherever they go.

Edith, as I have now named her thanks to my friend PSBChris, is a bit worn in some places.  This is, perhaps, evidence of a long, rough journey from a distant, far-off place.  

She has a home now, and she and I will take care of each other for as long as possible. 

Thinking back.  I think she chose me.  I heard her call and answered it.

I am so glad that I did.

Early On a Sunday Morning

Whenever I walk into a room I've never entered before, I usually seek out a window.  It is generally the primary source of natural light in any indoor space.  Once in a while, just like the image above, you practically see the light pouring in.  What might seem very cold and lifeless suddenly blooms with luminosity. 

If it were up to me, every room would have a window.

Rays flow in like the sound of a thumb and his fingers skipping gingerly up to the lighter side of a piano.

The mood of the room changes with this natural flow.

 

Sometimes, this change is dramatic.

Or, oh so subtle.

 

It's something I think about often, actually--the quiet ways that light fill up a room. 

Shadows seek refuge.

Textures come out of hiding.

  

The outside looks in.

 

Darkness needs a way out while life, in all it's color and splendor, needs an entrance.

Have you seen a window lately?

Bird In Flight

 

This is a wee little doodle of a hand letting go of something that was never meant to be confined.  It is a rough draft of something I am working on. 

I've been creating a lot of art lately, and I am especially enamored of all kinds of animals. 

What do you think?  More doodles to come soon.  :-)