Resurrection of a Lost World

When I was a little girl, I just loved to draw. I lived and breathed paper and pencils. When we went to church, and my Mom wanted me to keep still, she would let me sit on the floor, she would take out a little pad of paper (which smelled like fresh tissues, strangely enough), give me her ballpoint pen, and that was all I needed. I would go into my own little world, which existed entirely on that page, and was a world of ballpoint ink, a quiet world of my own making.


During the course of high school, I gradually lost my love for art, as it soon became a massive burden for me. Long story short, our art classes had me churning out sketches and projects like a machine, and I came to resent my talent. It has been approximately ten years since I seriously took pencil to paper and enjoyed it.


My doctor has now advised me that I need to take half an hour every day, to do something 'meditative', in order to truly relax. It doesn't necessarily need to be anything like levitating and going "ooohhhmmm", but the good doctor suggested yoga or art. Art? I instinctively recoiled at the idea. Sketching didn't sound relaxing to me, it sounded stressful, having to manufacture drawing after drawing...
How sad, that the education system stole this beautiful thing from me. How utterly infuriating.


So, I stole it back this week.


Sometime last year, I began this sketch in an attempt to resurrect my talents, but at the time, I still felt some turmoil about it all, and I gave it all up pretty quickly...

This week, I decided to try again, with a new agenda: Not to churn out an artwork, but to relax and enjoy some quiet time in my little world. Amazingly, it was a completely different experience. 


When I first started this sketch last year, I was just copying a magazine advertisement.I have subsequently lost the magazine, and so am pretty much just messing around with it. Could be disastrous, but only time will tell. The weird wavy sketching on the top of the page is actually a very flamboyant hat that was sitting on the head of a woman, whom you can just barely see in the middle of the page. I am so excited to get to drawing her, as she is one posh lady and I really enjoy a good portrait. 

So, it's really going great, and the cherry on top was that today I discovered some really ideal "sketching music". You know me: it's the music that makes my life so much more incredible to experience, and so I must share it. 


Today I plugged my iPod earphones in, and played the latest Florence and the Machine album, "Ceremonials". There is nothing that can really be compared to this band. The music is almost tribal, primitive, with an incredibly eery edge to it that I haven't heard since listening to Kate Bush's 'Waking the Witch'. (And you should hear that track in reverse, it is simply spine-chilling.) 


Florence and the Machine is a South London band. The lead singer, Florence Welch, possesses a most unique voice, reaching high notes with warbling tenderness, and in the next moment bellowing a powerful alto that brings goosebumps to my arms. I have to say that when listening to this album, I have the urge to dance around a fireplace, or dive into a ocean and swim until I'm surrounded by nothing but water and dolphins. Yeah, it's pretty strange music.


But exactly the kind of strange music that's perfect for immersing myself in my own world-on-paper. Some of my favourite songs....


Shake It Out
Strangeness and Charm
Never let me go


Hope you enjoy it - it's not everyone's cup of tea - but it's such fitting music, being the day-dreamy music that it is... I will share more, once this particular sketch is finished :) Hopefully it won't be a catastrophe!


Peace out!

SA Idols 2011: Dave Van Vuuren on fire!

I've never been particularly interested in previous Idols contests - I find most of the musicians to be a bit too 'poppie' for my tastes... Talented, of course, but far too 'safe'. If anything, the best thing to come out of any Idols contest so far has been Adam Lambert, and he is anything but safe.


At last, South African Idols contest has yielded something extraordinary... The overall calibre of musicians that has emerged this year has been astounding in itself, in comparison to previous years - I have actually watched a few episodes, and found myself stuck to the screen. 


However, few will argue with me that one of the finest and most unique artists to grace our screens with his presence is Dave Van Vuuren. If you listen with a 'musical ear', you might observe that he doesn't have the purest voice of this year's contestants. But whatever Dave may lack vocally - which is not much in the first place - he makes up for in so many ways, that I wouldn't trade him for the purest voice on the planet. 

What is also so refreshing is the sense of humility with which Dave presents himself, and his willingness to acknowledge God on stage. He has a down-to-earth, child-like gentleness, that one can not help but adore. 


Which makes it almost impossible to believe that this same timid puppy-eyed 'boy' can do what he does when handed a microphone! There is an electricity that exudes from Dave when he is on stage, he almost shivers with some inner nervous energy source that can not be contained. The intensity of the glittering in his eyes almost makes me want to take cover behind my living room couch, in case he explodes at any moment. One seldom finds a musician that has the ability to induce a miniature adrenalin rush, or reduce one to tears... And I love it. 


Dave Van Vuuren turns music into a spiritual experience.. and that is what it should be. 

Poor-quality uploads of Dave's Idol performances can be viewed on YouTube... Whether he wins Idols or not, he will 'make it' - and I intend on being a fan. 


Peace Out...

Thought of the day: Do-overs

 I have put some thought into my life, and have decided that if I could have a do-over of the entire thing, I would pursue my dream of becoming a singer. Other than my obsessive love for music, I am not really a musical person. I don’t particularly have any outstanding vocal talent, although I can hold a note. A weak note, but I can hold it.

 No, the reason I feel that I could pursue this dream is that it has become apparent in recent years that vocal and musical ability just isn’t a requirement to fortune and fame anymore. You’ll have to forgive my bitching on this matter – I guess I’m just baffled as to why certain people are even on the charts. I have no problem with different genre’s, don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about taste, I’m talking about talent.

 In fact, I have just now changed my mind: I will not become a singer. I will become a rapper – this is where musical standards are the lowest. One rapper I admire for talent is Eminem. While I’m not a fan of his somewhat distasteful lyrics, that boy can rap. Respect, with a capital R.

 But since talent is no longer a requirement, I would get my bling on and become a rapper… if I could have a do-over, that is.

All right, that’s all I had to say.

*Personal rant over*