I wrote this song during a really difficult time in my life, that I obviously got through, but not gonna lie, it still haunts me. Art has always helped me process all the while being entertaining and expressive of the human spirit.
Recording a song is an interesting process as it solidifies a jam into a sculpture.
When I wrote this song "Painted Truth" it made perfect sense I would title my album the same name. I struggled with the idea of freezing songs; ever-expressing stories of a melody into unmoving sculptures, unable to sprout and grow like the live entities they really are. And so encapsulated it as a painting seemed more than appropriate.
Photography - such an incredible art in itself- yet to go along with this metaphor, a painting of me and my band and my stories would be very fitting in the album art as opposed to a picture which some say steals the soul as opposed to expresses it. Something rings true about that saying.
This CD, still in the dream state, when my Grandma Sylvia passed I kept hearing, or sensing, her continuous message that "stuff" is just "stuff" and there is too much "stuff. Although the idea of recording had still not sat completely in reality with me, I got the message, it's not just more "STUFF". It still is art, life, something that feeds the world instead of drains it (besides the actual petro-chemical cd - yes a HEMP CD would be nice)
My Russian Grandma had a strong sense of confidence, hard work ethic, and almost a stoicness. A friend of mine shared a popular video with me of Ukrainian artist Kseniya Simonova. I immediately felt a compassionate connection with her. I sensed her deep ability to feel the pain of our world and her fortitude to give it enlightenment as she shone her gift full of light onto our world with courage, skill, and boundless talent. And, of course, connecting to her culturally reminded me of my Grandmother's (and my) roots still filled with so much mystery joined with comfort.
I sent Kseniya Simonova the song with the story behind it. I shared with her the pain of not truly being heard or seen and how I could only make sense of it by realizing all people ever saw and heard was a painting of my expression - the best painting I could try to display. For unless they were in my body, mind and spirit experiencing what I experience they cannot possibly see and hear exactly what I do.
Kseniya was moved as an artist by the song and to it expressed her beautiful Sand art; a live, moving expression of a story with grains of sand on top of a lit screen. I couldn't be happier with the concept of both of us expressing a moving, living art even though it was ultimately captured in a video.
I do hope this video grows with you like a jasmine vine or pear tree. Over time, I believe the images and words even will transfer and transform meaning into your heart as you need it amidst your deeper understanding of your life relational experiences.
Enjoy
