Interpreting Music with Color Blog

Interpreting Music with Color: Feb. 1, 2019

2/1/2019

The Lake Isle
Music by Ola Gjeilo
18" x 24"
Acrylic on Gessobord

This painting is an interpretation of Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo's "The Lake Isle". It is a sweeping lyrical piece of music full of movement. It really lifted my spirit and was a pleasure to immerse myself in it. I was commissioned by The St. Paul Vocal Forum to create this interpretation for the celebration of 15 years of their choir's existence. It will be available for purchase at their gala celebration silent auction on Feb. 10. Play the link below to hear the music that inspired my painting while you view it.

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Interpreting Music with Color: Dec. 10, 2018

12/10/2018

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See music link below the painting to hear what inspired this painting.

An Interpretation of Peer Gynt's
Death of Åse
by Edvard Grieg
Acrylic on Gessobord with 2" Birch Sides, 24x36"

Ah, life. Sometimes it throws you a curve ball. Then it's just figuring out how to handle it for good or ill. Hopefully, for good. I've always thought that the practice of painting, figuring out what step to take next, trying things that don't work, and then figuring out again how to make the next step is a lot like life. In this first painting interpreting "Death of Åse" from Peer Gynt, the composer Edvard Grieg creates a sweeping beauty of plaintive melody that does not speak of dark, colorless night. For me, it speaks of the deep beauty of Norway's natural landscape, the sorrow of leaving it and the hope of that to come. I believe this painting is close to finished. I will put it away for a time and start the next one, from Peer Gynt again, "Morning Mood".

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Interpreting Music with Color: November 28, 2018

11/28/2018

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A Work in Progress
An Interpretation of Grieg's "Death of Åse"
Acrylic on Gessobord

I'm starting a new blog called "Interpreting Music with Color" I will replace my Painting-A-Day blog as I am doing less of that and am now concentrating on interpreting music with paint. You can also follow by liking my art page on Facebook called Robyn Sand Anderson Art. In this series I am painting 8-10 paintings interpreting Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg's music. I was grateful to receive a grant from the SWMN Arts Council and the McKnight Foundation to travel to Norway to study Grieg, his home, his life and the landscapes that informed his compositions. Follow my progress with this new blog!

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Painting-A-Day: October 8, 2018

10/8/2018

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Oasis
Acrylic on Gessobord with 2" Birch Cradle
24" x 18" $675

The title of this piece came pretty instantaneously. Painting has been an oasis for me, when the situations of our current time seem dark and insurmountable. The act of putting paint on paper or canvas beats down the tumult of the day, the darkness that permeates my mind as I read the daily news. Where do you find your oasis? Where do you find that place where you can rest, that place that calms the mind, that refuge? I fluctuate between feeling energized to do something about what is happening and the need to remove my heart and mind from it entirely. When things feel urgent, it is hard to allow ourselves a place of rest...but rest or finding our oasis is crucial in order to shore up the will and focus to do the work that needs to be done, whether it is in your work, your family life or in protecting our democracy. There are hundreds of thousands if not millions of people who have been sexually assaulted in this country, including me, though mine seems mild in comparison to many. Still, it was terrifying to me. To those people, I say, I believe you. It's been really hard these last two weeks. Find your place of refuge, your sanctuary, your oasis and rest your weary soul. "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28 Better words have not been spoken for me these last few weeks. Find your oasis.

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Painting-A-Day: October 4, 2018

10/4/2018

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Echoes from the Past
Acrylic on 1/8" Canvas Panel
18 x 24" $675

Learning new things about painting is so exciting and I am very excited about this painting. This summer I attended a painting workshop in Vermont as part of my arts grant, learning more about the tricks of working in acrylic (being a former watercolorist) and working in the abstract in an expressionist way (ie. COLOR!). It's endlessly fascinating.

In other news, I have a lot on my plate for the next year. I've been invited to paint 10-15 paintings for Augsburg Fortress & the ELCA for a prayer book for those who are incarcerated. They wanted to include beauty and color in the form of visual art because people in prison are so deprived of this. This touched my heart because I feel art is so essential to what it means to be human. The book is called Hear My Voice: A Prison Prayer Book. These paintings will be posted here early next year with a link to the book.

Thing's are hopping! I will be working on a series of paintings soon interpreting Edvard Grieg's music as part of an Established Artist Grant from SWMAC and the McKnight Foundation. I was able to go to Norway and soak up the vistas , life and passions of Grieg which will definitely play into my colorful interpretations. Other exciting things coming up: My art was chosen for the National Lutheran Choir's 2018-2019 Season; I am going to be interpreting music for the St. Paul Vocal Forum choir early next year and will also be interpreting Bach''s B Minor Mass for Conductor Matthew Olson's Bach Summer Music Festival next summer. More paintings to come!

Echoes from the Past is acrylic on canvas panel measuring 18x24" and is $675. Contact Robyn at robynsandanderson@gmail.com if interested.

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Painting-A-Day: June 7, 2018

6/7/2018

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Acrylic on Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides, 12"x12".
Ready to hang!

Oh, it feels so good to be right, doesn't it? I heard a question recently that went like this, "Do you want to be kind, or do you want to be right?" Well, I'd like to think I'd rather be kind. I know that I fall toward the other fairly often. It makes you swell up with pride when you're right, right? But stop a minute and notice how it feels when you choose to be kind. It feels good and actually, it feels right. So there you go, you can have it both ways if you lean toward kindness. This painting is a good visual reminder for me. Lean toward kindness.

12 x 12" Original Painting $100 plus $15 Shipping & Handling. This painting has SOLD.

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Painting-A-Day: May 30, 2018

5/30/2018

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"Justice For All"
Acrylic on Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides, 12x12"
Ready to hang!

I say "Justice For All" and I mean it. But perhaps I say it too lightly, not really taking in the weight of these words. If we truly mean that we want justice for all people, it might require us to open our hearts and minds to walk in another's shoes. It might require that we take time to listen to those who differ from us in their thinking, to walk with people who have no voice, to show compassion to those who have no power. It may require sacrifice. In painting this, the weight of the words flowed over me. When it felt too heavy, I turned my eyes toward the light.

This painting has SOLD.

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Painting-A-Day: May 21, 2018

5/21/2018

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"Truth Matters"
12 x 12" Acrylic on Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides
Read to hang!

I started to write about this painting...and then, I thought, the words and the painting speak for themselves. Truth matters, period.

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Painting-A-Day: April 26, 2018

4/26/2018

2 Comments

Matted Prints of my work now available for $10!
Fits into 5" x 7" Frame
(Price includes S&H and Sales Tax )

5" x 7" Print Cards with Envelope $6.00
(includes S&H and Sales Tax)

I am working on having a store right here on my website. Until then, email me with your order....RobynSandAnderson@gmail.com.

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Painting-A-Day: April 19, 2018

4/19/2018

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"Nothing Can Separate Us From the Love of God"

Acrylic on Gessobord, 36" x 24" with 2" Birch Sides

This painting was commissioned in memory of Pastor Chris Nelson, Bethlehem Lutheran, South Minneapolis. One of his favorite verses was Romans 8:38-39.
38 For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Pastor Chris loved to sail and loved the references and images of water in Scripture. I found a piece of choral music based on those verses which helped inspire this painting.

You can hit the play button below to listen to the music while viewing the painting.

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February 01st, 2018

2/1/2018

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Acrylic on Canvas, 12 x 12" with black sides. Collection Peg Chemberlin.

This painting was a retirement and best wishes painting for a friend of ours. Peg is a pastor and artist and most recently led the MN Council of Churches before retiring. Early last year I did several abstracts and experimented with adding words or phrases. Words of encouragement and sometimes wrestling with what it means to be human and how to live our lives with character, integrity and fortitude in a time in history that sorely needs it. This phrase originated as a criticism, but many of us could actually relate in many different arenas of our lives. In this instance, it pinpointed what many women have felt and continue to feel. It's what we do. We plow ahead in spite of obstacles, knowing that God is with us in our suffering. We persist, with hope as our companion.

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Painting-A-Day: Nov. 7, 2017

11/7/2017

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It's been a few months since my last post and much has happened, including the fact that I am taking an online painting class which includes color studies in acrylic. Being a former watercolor artist, I am still learning more tricks and properties of acrylic paint. Now that I've created all of these swatches, I will be trying different combinations to see what effect they have on each other (see three pictures below.) Color makes me happy I have to say. Exciting stuff, people!

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Painting-A-Day: September 13, 2017

9/13/2017

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"Christ the Same, Yesterday, Today and Forever"
Collection: Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Bird Island, MN

Some churches feel called to support the arts, believing that art is an important expressive voice as we wrestle with what it means to be human and to follow God. A few month's ago I received a commission from Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Bird Island, MN. They were anticipating the 125th Anniversary of their church and wanted a commemoration of the journey traveled by their community. They wanted a painting based on Hebrews 13:8 "Christ the same, yesterday, today and forever" and the Hymn "O God Our Help in Ages Past." The words to this hymn are beautiful. I suggested a triptych on those three words from Hebrews "Yesterday" "Today" and "Forever". This is the result.

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August 09th, 2017

8/9/2017

3 Comments

Acrylic on Gallery Stretched Canvas. Original 36" x 60"
Original sold, but Giclée Fine Art Reproductions available.

The Road to Emmaus, like many of my paintings, became something I hadn't expected. I thought it would be entirely abstract, when commissioned by the ELCA for their Rostered Ministers Gathering. Instead, it became a combination of abstract and representational. It became what it needed to be to tell the story of loss, human grief, our journeys and the promise embodied in Jesus' resurrection.

I prepared by immersing myself in different versions of the text, reading sermons, asking clergy friends their take on it and listening to music. I found a choral piece about the Road to Emmaus called "Abendlied" by Josef Rheinberger and used it for inspiration. Choral music is a creative trigger for me. I have had two exhibits now that interpret choral music, Buxtehude's "Membra Jesu Nostri" and Arvo Pårt's "Magificat Antiphonen & Nunc Dimittis. I have also interpreted "O Magnum Mysterium" by Lauridsen, one of my favorites. The Road to Emmaus measures 36" x 60" and is painted with acrylic on gallery stretched canvas. The ELCA has purchased the original, but Limited Edition canvas or paper giclées (fine art prints) are available for purchase.

8 x 13-3/8" Paper Giclée $85 (Needs to be matted and framed to protect. Sales tax and S&H are included in the price.)
12 x 20" Canvas Giclée $245 (Can hang as is or framed. Sales tax and S&H are included in the price.)
36" x 60" Canvas Giclée (Price TBD)

*Contact me at RobynSandAnderson@gmail.com if you have questions.

3 Comments

Painting-A-Day: July 24, 2017

7/5/2017

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Applying varnish to the birch sides of these gessobords,
in preparation for painting.

Working on a commission for Our Savior's in Bird Island, MN in the next few weeks. It is a triptych on 24x24" archival gessobords with 2" birch sides. The theme they chose is based on Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow" and the hymn "O God Our Help in Ages Past". The words to the hymn (#632) are beautiful. God is beyond our notions of time, "A thousand ages in your sight, is like an evening gone." I will post them eventually, but want to present them to the congregation first.

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Painting-A-Day: July 5, 2017

7/5/2017

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Acrylic on Archival Gallery Stretched Canvas 12 x 12". Ready to hang!

"Let justice roll down like waters." These words came to me as I painted this today. Sometimes I start with a kernel of thought or a combination of colors I'd like to try. But I've been dwelling with the words Justice For All lately. And, I began to see "Let justice roll down like waters." (Amos 5:24 ) take shape.

There is a strength and command in these words and also the promise of cleansing, cooling waters. For those who struggle for justice, the image of cooling water streaming over you is a very healing, refreshing one. A thirst quenched. A desire fulfilled. You are both there to participate in bringing justice and also there to receive its balm.

If interested in purchasing, hit the Painting-A-Day Purchase tab and then hit the Etsy widget. It will take you right where you need to be to purchase the painting of your choice. Original painting $100, ready-to-hang, plus $15 shipping and handling.

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Painting-A-Day: June 29th, 2017

6/29/2017

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Acrylic on Archival Gallery-Stretched Canvas, 12 x 12". Ready to hang!

Every once in a while, when I am painting, I have to pinch myself. It hurts, but I feel so lucky to be able to do what I love. I am grateful to be able to paint, to use my brain, my emotions, my past and present to create a tangible something. It is especially poignant because I had to give it up completely for a period of time when I was first diagnosed with RA. But here I am.

Today, I am diving in to something different. It's exciting for me. I know. To each his own, right? Beginning with an aqua pencil, I sketched graphite lines on top of the white surface and using water on a brush, touched the graphite and created something that resembles an ink wash. This was the foundation upon which I added color. Sometimes transparent, to let the pencil show through, and sometimes opaque. It was an interesting puzzle. Interesting enough to do a series. In light of what is happening in our country, I've been thinking about what words or phrases I could create a series and then this came to me. Justice For All. I see human figures in this painting. The title seems fitting. It's something we can all get behind, I think.

If interested in purchasing, hit the Painting-A-Day Purchase tab and then hit the Etsy widget. It will take you right where you need to be to purchase the painting of your choice. Thanks! $100 for this original painting, ready-to-hang, plus $15 shipping and handling.

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ART[food] for Thought: June 27, 2017

6/27/2017

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"nevertheless...she persisted."

After posting a recent "ART[food] for Thought" painting using the above quote, I received several requests for the same. My pleasure! After consulting these clients about color choice, here are two examples. Let me know if you have a favorite phrase or verse to surround with color...your choice of colors!

If interested in purchasing, hit the Painting-A-Day Purchase tab and then hit the Etsy widget. It will take you right where you need to be to purchase the painting of your choice. Thanks! $100 for this original painting, ready-to-hang, plus $15 shipping and handling.

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Painting-A-Day: June 23, 2017

6/23/2017

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Acrylic on Archival Gallery Stretched Canvas, 12 x 12". Ready to hang!

Today's featured painting was a commission for a friend and client who needed a fourth 12x12" painting to complete a set on his wall. He gave me the colors he wanted in it and I came up with this. The style of the painting fits in with the other three in the series, of which he sent me a picture. I enjoy the challenge! You, too, can commission me to do something for you. Choose 4-5 colors. Find a style you like from other things I've done. Questions? Email me at RobynSandAnderson@gmail.com.

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Painting-A-Day: June 15, 2017

6/15/2017

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Acrylic on Archival Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides, 12x12". Ready to hang!

I am back after a working on a large painting commission for the ELCA Rostered Leaders Gathering in Atlanta in August. I will post it at that time. Today's painting began with the use of water-based graphite pencil which you will see shows through the paint a bit. I'd like to explore the use of this aqua-pencil more in the future. I would name this painting, "Setting Sun Paints the Ocean". The dark blue is actually a bit darker in the right and left bottom corners. The blue has a bit of black in it. Sometimes it is challenging to adjust the color to as close as I can get to the original. On to the next!

If interested in purchasing, hit the Painting-A-Day Purchase tab and then hit the Etsy widget. It will take you right where you need to be to purchase the painting of your choice. Thanks! $100 for this original painting, ready-to-hang, plus $15 shipping and handling.

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The Lake Isle Music by Ola Gjeilo18" x 24" Acrylic on Gessobord

See music link below the painting to hear what inspired this painting.

An Interpretation of Peer Gynt'sDeath of Åseby Edvard GriegAcrylic on Gessobord with 2" Birch Sides, 24x36"

A Work in ProgressAn Interpretation of Grieg's "Death of Åse"Acrylic on Gessobord

Oasis Acrylic on Gessobord with 2" Birch Cradle24" x 18" $675

Echoes from the PastAcrylic on 1/8" Canvas Panel18 x 24" $675

Acrylic on Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides, 12"x12".Ready to hang!

"Justice For All" Acrylic on Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides, 12x12" Ready to hang!

"Truth Matters"12 x 12" Acrylic on Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides Read to hang!

Matted Prints of my work now available for $10! Fits into 5" x 7" Frame(Price includes S&H and Sales Tax )

5" x 7" Print Cards with Envelope $6.00(includes S&H and Sales Tax)

I am working on having a store right here on my website. Until then, email me with your order....RobynSandAnderson@gmail.com.

"Nothing Can Separate Us From the Love of God"

Acrylic on Canvas, 12 x 12" with black sides. Collection Peg Chemberlin.

"Christ the Same, Yesterday, Today and Forever"Collection: Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Bird Island, MN

Acrylic on Gallery Stretched Canvas. Original 36" x 60" Original sold, but Giclée Fine Art Reproductions available.

Applying varnish to the birch sides of these gessobords, in preparation for painting.

Acrylic on Archival Gallery Stretched Canvas 12 x 12". Ready to hang!

Acrylic on Archival Gallery-Stretched Canvas, 12 x 12". Ready to hang!

Acrylic on Archival Gallery Stretched Canvas, 12 x 12". Ready to hang!

Acrylic on Archival Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides, 12x12". Ready to hang!

Archives

Robyn Sand Anderson

Categories

The Lake Isle
Music by Ola Gjeilo
18" x 24"
Acrylic on Gessobord

An Interpretation of Peer Gynt's
Death of Åse
by Edvard Grieg
Acrylic on Gessobord with 2" Birch Sides, 24x36"

A Work in Progress
An Interpretation of Grieg's "Death of Åse"
Acrylic on Gessobord

Oasis
Acrylic on Gessobord with 2" Birch Cradle
24" x 18" $675

Echoes from the Past
Acrylic on 1/8" Canvas Panel
18 x 24" $675

Acrylic on Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides, 12"x12".
Ready to hang!

"Justice For All"
Acrylic on Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides, 12x12"
Ready to hang!

"Truth Matters"
12 x 12" Acrylic on Gessobord with 3/4" Birch Sides
Read to hang!

Matted Prints of my work now available for $10!
Fits into 5" x 7" Frame
(Price includes S&H and Sales Tax )

5" x 7" Print Cards with Envelope $6.00
(includes S&H and Sales Tax)

"Christ the Same, Yesterday, Today and Forever"
Collection: Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Bird Island, MN

Acrylic on Gallery Stretched Canvas. Original 36" x 60"
Original sold, but Giclée Fine Art Reproductions available.

Applying varnish to the birch sides of these gessobords,
in preparation for painting.