SEDUCTIVE Blue Samba

 Abstract art has a magic of its own.  Like all other forms of painting, it needs lights and darks, movement to draw the eye around the work, and depth is important, too.  Unless you are painting flat geometric shapes, there should be a foreground, a middle ground and a background.  You can purchase this original painting at http://MoxyFoxDesigns.etsy.com

Enjoy Brazilian musician, Eliane Elias—a favorite of mine—adds the dimension of sound to my “Blue Samba”.

Slip Out the Back, Jack

My original painting entitled "Slip Out the Back, Jack" takes its name from Paul Simon's song "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover". Rosemary Clooney's rendition is awesome. What a jazz legend! I thought you'd enjoy seeing vintage photos of her in a video. The song was included on her 1977 album "Nice to Be Around".




Here's what Wikipedia says:



"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" was a 1975 hit song by Paul Simon, from his album Still Crazy After All These Years. "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" broke in the U.S. in late December 1975 becoming number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on February 7, 1976, and remaining there for three weeks. It was certified gold on March 11, 1976, and remained a best seller for nearly five months. The song also topped the adult contemporary chart for two weeks.





Written after Simon's divorce from first wife Peggy Harper, the song is a mistress's humorous advice to a husband on ways to end a relationship: Just slip out the back, Jack / Make a new plan, Stan. Studio drummer Steve Gadd created the unique drum beat that became the hook and color for the song consisting of an almost military beat. The song was recorded in a small New York City studio on Broadway.

Skylark an Impressionist Painting with Andre Previn at the Keyboard

Entitled "Skylark" this is an impressionistic style painting done in acrylics on a 5x7 inch canvas panel.  She was inspired by the song of the same name.

I love Renee Olstead's version of this song, which she sang on her 2009 album of the same name.  The lyrics are by Johnny Mercer; music is by Hoagy Carmichael.  This is considered a jazz standard and was published in 1942.

Lyrics:

Skylark, have you anything to say to me?
Can you tell me where my love may be?
Is there a meadow in the mist
Where he’s just waiting to be kissed?
Skylark, have you seen a valley green with spring
Where my heart can go a journeying

Over the shadows and the rain
To a blossom covered lane?

And in your lonely flight have you heard the music?

In the night, wonderful music.

Faint as a will-o-the-wisp, crazy as a loon,

Sad as a gypsy serenading the moon.

Oh, skylark, I don’t know, I don’t know

If you can find these things,

But my heart, my heart is riding on your wings.
So if you see them anywhere

Won’t you lead me there?

Tricky Financial Bastards

By now almost everyone is experiencing some effect of the financial meltdown. It was a series of events that got us to this place. Alan Greenspan put too much trust in human nature – there just weren’t enough rules in place to keep this from happening. Those techy trading kids kept coming up with schemes to make money, which their elders just didn’t get, and technology enabled financial contracts to be created that no one could understand.

I’m a painter. In college I discovered that history was so easy to learn by just studying the works of artists. Artists can’t escape the times they live in and it shows up in their work.

As our personal retirement stock portfolio has dwindled, the “Tricky Financial Bastards” painting rose to the surface of my consciousness. Grinchy green was the foil for the guys in their black Brooks Brother’s suits. Their faces are blanching with shades of gray and expressions of grim remorse for being caught with their fists in the till.




In addition to the painting, I have created a high end greeting card with a blank liner for you to send your pithiest comments. Ask yourself:

Do I want to fire my stockbroker?
Should I correspond with my taxman?
Should I send condolences to relatives victimized by Madoff?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then this is the card for you! You can buy it in my etsy shop. You can also buy a gorgeous print of “Tricky Financial Bastards” for only $17.00

The link is on the top of the page and here:

http://MoxyFoxDesigns.etsy.com


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