"Sanctus"
from Bach's Mass in B Minor
36" x 24"
Sanctus means "holy". I thought about that a lot as I chose the colors and envisioned the movement inspired by this part of Bach's masterpiece. What is holy after all? Bach's Sanctus begins for me with a burst of spirals and sound. This song is all movement, with layers of voice and complexity. I knew that I wanted to portray this work with a burst of many colors and explosive movement. It evolved for me to the beginning of the universe, when all was set in motion, the planets and stars, shadow and light. And then the deep bass comes in giving us a foundation from which this burst flies up and out. It is glorious in its praise to the One who created all that is.
I grew up thinking that "holy" was something lofty and beyond myself. My particular journey has helped me to see that so many "ordinary" things we encounter in this life are indeed holy and sacred, from new plants lifting themselves out of the dirt to reach for the sun, to the eyes of a baby when they first really connect with you and a smile bursts forth.
While I am painting, I have a lot of time to contemplate life. As I immersed myself in Sanctus and thought about Bach writing this incredible work, I wondered, what was he thinking as he put these notes together? What did he want to say about life and faith with these instruments and voices? What I hear is that he was pointing to a Creator who takes delight in the beauty of this planet in all of its ordinary and extraordinary holiness. This music is our response to that Love.
You can see a video montage of each of these paintings while listening to the music that inspired it. It is very meditative. I hope the color, texture and movement carry you more deeply into the music. Go to www.RobynSandAnderson.com. Hover over the tab "Interpreting Bach's Mass in B Minor" and the four sub-tabs beneath. Click on each one to find the video and music.
I grew up thinking that "holy" was something lofty and beyond myself. My particular journey has helped me to see that so many "ordinary" things we encounter in this life are indeed holy and sacred, from new plants lifting themselves out of the dirt to reach for the sun, to the eyes of a baby when they first really connect with you and a smile bursts forth.
While I am painting, I have a lot of time to contemplate life. As I immersed myself in Sanctus and thought about Bach writing this incredible work, I wondered, what was he thinking as he put these notes together? What did he want to say about life and faith with these instruments and voices? What I hear is that he was pointing to a Creator who takes delight in the beauty of this planet in all of its ordinary and extraordinary holiness. This music is our response to that Love.
You can see a video montage of each of these paintings while listening to the music that inspired it. It is very meditative. I hope the color, texture and movement carry you more deeply into the music. Go to www.RobynSandAnderson.com. Hover over the tab "Interpreting Bach's Mass in B Minor" and the four sub-tabs beneath. Click on each one to find the video and music.