How Music Can Help Improve Your Paintings

'Summer Evening II'         11x14          pastel         ©Karen Margulis
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I have been on a roll. It has been all about painting Iceland. In February I will be presenting a program with Sharon Weiss about our travels to Iceland for the Southeastern Pastel Society. I wanted to have some new studio paintings. I had sold many of the Iceland paintings done right after my June trip. It was fresh then. I painted with much emotion.

What happens when the freshness of the memories starts to fade? Sure I have photos but how would I be able to get back into right frame of mind to paint with feeling?

The answer is MUSIC. Not just any music though. I find that music evokes past memories. Just a certain smells can take you back to your grandmother's kitchen....music has the same power. If music can take you back to a place in your mind that brings your memories to life....your paintings can only be a better response to a flat photograph.

Listening to the music I played during my painting sessions right after my trip has the power to bring me back to that time. That music calls up all of my memories of Iceland. I spent the month after my trip holed up in my studio painting and writing about my trip. I put together a playlist on Spotify. I included some Icelandic groups as well as the Walter Mitty soundtrack. All I need to do is turn on this playlist and I am back to Iceland. It works and works well! I was able to paint 5 new Iceland paintings over the weekend and I look forward to sharing them.

If you missed my travelog to Iceland you can now read it and see my photos and paintings on a new blog. I invite you to have a look.  www.paintingiceland.blogspot.com

Today's painting: 11x14 on Canson. This is a scene from our dinner cruise on Breiðafjörður bay.