Friday, July 03, 2015

Art: Part 1 - Words

I have been doing some self analysis, and one of the things I have been pondering is why I have gravitated towards the art forms I currently express myself in.

I have been writing poetry since I was five. It is simply part of who I am. If I have an idea, I will scribble it down. Sometimes it will be pulled out later and transformed into a full piece. Sometimes it will live in notebook purgatory forever. (Band Name: Notebook Purgatory)

I love to paint scenes, emotions, ideas, memories with language. Using words for their sounds, shapes, style, flavour, rhythms. We talk so much, and so fast, we type so haphazardly all day long - taking the time to craft the flow of the words feels like an indulgence.

Not all poems make it to the next stage and become spoken word, only those that survive the translation. It is an oddly personal selection and interpretation process.

Over the past several years, some of these poems have become songs. Some start out with the intention of being a song from the start, some bounce around notebooks until they end up in the correct category. For myself, songs almost always start with at least a few fragments of lyrics. The tune or vibe pops into my head, and the rest gets flung around until it feels complete. Although, it is always a blast to reinterpret things later - turn a punk song to lounge!

Next time - Visuals!