Wow I was digging around my old site archives (from 1999) and I found the thumbnails of some paintings I did.

I think I was 17 when I did them. It was a simple line and form exercise. And I thought I’d explore colour with pastels, watercolours and inks at the same time.

I don’t play the violin. I just loved its sexy curves, fine features and its delicious honey coloured wood grain. I remember I had to borrow my friend’s violin who swore that he would kill me if I broke it. I remember imagining that violins would smell of a forest in summer, and was muchly disappointed when it smelt metallic and oily.

Ok I did have a more introspective reason for painting a musical instrument. For me, creating a picture is easy. But creating music is close to impossible. An untouchable realm. A forbidden possession.

I am in worshipful awe of people who can pick up an instrument and simply compose new music. I’ll stand next to them and say, Can I touch you?. Can you have my children? How do you just THINK UP new tunes in your head? How do you string a few chords together and MAKE UP something from nothing??

They say it’s the same as when I pick up a paintbrush. But it’s not! Painting is easy. You just push stuff around on paper. You just follow a few simple rules and hey presto! A painting! And if it looks a little weird, it’s abstract art. Or expressionism.

Anyway. I digress. I painted it because I couldn’t have it.

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