Windows to the Inside
Jet-Lagged and Bright-Eyed
It has been a hectic week since returning from my crazy Hawaii trip last Friday. The significant time difference of several hours has thrown me for a loop, but I powered through. I had band rehearsal the morning after my flight came in past midnight. On Sunday, I did a photoshoot. I performed at the Lipstick Lounge in Nashville on Tuesday and then cooked a large Filipino dinner with a couple of friends for a group of 20 on Wednesday. I have also tended to my garden and worked on my driveway. Sleep seems to have eluded me otherwise.
(On that note, for the foreseeable future, I am including a link at the bottom of every WPR issue for any folks willing to throw in a couple of bucks to buy me a cup of coffee. I have a lot of music, art, and video coming down the pipeline. A warm cup of coffee or tea goes a long way.)
It feels like a miracle that I was able to work on any art through all of this, but I did. Thankfully, art is the part of my life that forces me to slow down and immerse myself in a contemplative headspace. All other demands on my time must step aside so that I can focus on the task—the composition, the mood, the story—at hand.
The shades are pulled back. The sun is a little too bright for my eyes, but it lights the way for you.
Have a look.
COLOR NOTEBOOK
Free Palestine.
A coy Koi.
Sunscaping
ABSTRACT FLOWERS
Texture in the deeper parts.
TEXTILES
I was not able to do any sewing in the last couple of weeks, but I did need to source an outfit for my photoshoot. These days, I opt for anything that offers texture and whimsy. A friend recently gifted me this layered, billowy thing, and I decided to run with it. (The photos will be released soon.)
STILL LIFE
I sang my ass off at the Lipstick Lounge last Tuesday. This show was notable for two reasons, other than the fact that I wore the glitzy gown my Mom sewed together for me. (Thanks Mom!!)
First, I opted to have my bandmate Andrew do all the heavy lifting with the music while I sang without playing my keyboard. It was quite liberating, and my voice did everything I asked of it (and then some). I learned that I may not have been using the full power of my voice all this time. I will need to work on this.
Second, it was the first show under the new band name Ancestral Tongue. We are still feeling it out on a trial basis but so far so good.
Needless to say, we had a lot of fun.
UPCOMING SHOWS FOR FALL 2024:
