Music: Your Hand In Mine ♫

Your Hand in Mine is a duo from Greece in the vein of moshimoss with ambient instrumental music.

I couldn't find the EP on Inner Ear Records' bandcamp anymore, but the album is still streaming on their site

Recommended:
2. The Youngest One Had a Rose in His Mouth
4. Formaica


Recommended:
2. Waitress Omitsu Came Back
5. At the Bar I
6. Neighbours
7. The Stranger
9. Sudative Luminareten
12. Father and Son
16. Dinner
18. The Decision
20. Please, Surrender
22. Outro

Recommended:
haha everything.

All albums streamed on Your Hand In Mine's website
'Every Night Dreams' and 'The Garden Novels' available on Inner Ear Records' Bandcamp and on iTunes.

Music: Moshimoss ♫

The room was empty. The only clues that remained of any of life was the empty tumbler with sweat dripping on the bedstand. A slight tinge of perfume in the air. Left on the unmade bed, was a large envelope, bound in tape. In the envelope, maps of Iceland and a casette was found. Fourteen pieces of music unravelling a scenery of emotion and glimpses of timelessness... The secrets that Kosuke Anamizu has buried on Hidden Tape No. 66 are deeply telling. Unearthing these ten artifacts, we understand that they are meant for someone else. Vast and inward, the tracks are lovingly assembled from detailed field recordings, guitars, and electronics. Soundscapes flowing through a filter of longing and mystery.

That's the description provided for Hidden Tape No. 66, moshimoss/Kosuke Anamizu's first (and only?) album. I can't really describe it better than that.

Here's a bit more information on Kosuke Anamizu himself via his page on label Dynamophone:

Making his home in the shadow of Mt. Fuji, Kosuke Anamizu’s ethic stems from a belief that music and nature are fundamentally coupled. Driven by great expanse, his goal is to impart the warmth of life to the wide landscapes of our inner worlds. Kosuke’s doppleganger is one part of The Potone!, an electronica band on the Neguse Group label.

I'd suggest listening to the whole album, but these are the ones you should listen to for sure (in my opinion):
3. 'Slow Days It Was Super'
5. 'Moss Pillow'
7. 'Light'
9. 'Cold Fever'
10. 'Melody'

Digital album available on Bandcamp.
(there's also a free downloadable EP of three of the songs from the album if you need some help making up your mind)

One Day I Will Do

Inspired by Priscilla Ahn's song 'One Day I Will Do.'

I used flowers that impart feelings of hope, overcoming anxiety and challenges, and growth  :]

Music: GIRIBOY (기리보이) ♫

GIRIBOY is a Korean hip-hop artist. His debut album Fatal Album was released in June with seven tracks (all written by him) that feature artists Gganmo, Block B's rapper Zico, Beenzino, Uglyduck, Cho Danbi, Swings, and Im Sunghyun.

Tracks:

1. You're a Chemical (feat. Beenzino)
2. 얼굴에 다 써있네요 - Everything is Written on Your Face (feat. Uglyduck)
3. 내몸이 불 타오르고 있어 - My Body is Full of Fire (feat. Cho Danbi)
4. 시간이 날 기다려 - Tik Tok (feat. Swings and Im Sunghyun)
5. 계획적인 여자 - Manipulating Woman (feat. Gganmo and Zico)
6. 이제 안돼 - Not Now
7. You Don't Look Good to Me (Psychoban remix)

He has also released this music video:

source i || source ii

Music: Sea Oleena ♫

Sea Oleena aka Charlotte Loseth is a Montreal-based musician. Her 2011 album, Sleeplessness, was co-produced, mixed, and remastered by her brother Felix Green.
Charlotte's soft voice is multi-layered over gentle guitar chords and ethereal sounds. It's great for bringing a bit of surrealism into your busy schedule, or to simply relax and let your mind wander.

According to the description, "Sleeplessness is the three seasons' worth of endless nights and half-lived days."

She has released beautiful music videos for the song 'Milk' and 'Sister':

Tracks:

1. Southbound
2. Sleepless Fever
3. Insomnia Plague
4. Untitled
5. Sister
6. Milk
7. Orion's Belt

You can listen to and purchase her albums here on her bandcamp for whatever amount you decide. Check out her self-titled album too!

Tallymarks

Inspired by Thao Nguyen's song 'Tallymarks.'

The chorus was what really caught me:

And we drop, drop tears like tallymarks

And it builds like snow

And it keeps us apart

And I drop, drop tears like tallymarks

And I'm keeping score so I keep us apart

But I think I might miss you enough to say so

And I think I already did

Well I think I might miss you enough to say so

And there you go, I just said it again

9 x 9" watercolor paper.
Acrylic, graphite, and digital.

4QQ78ZE6T46H

The Sea.

Even though I live a short drive away from the beach, I rarely take advantage of that. Recently I've been wanting to visit the beach so I can hear the ocean, watch the waves rolling in, and smell the salty breeze. Is it because summer officially starts in less than a week?

 

Motionless has their full album available to download for free on their website

I can imagine walking or driving by the ocean and hearing these coming from my speakers:

* sorry this first one's a little loud – I can't figure out how to adjust the volume...

A month.

The time really flew! I was quietly working on a bunch of new work I hope to share with you soon  :]

In the meantime, here's a little chart of pictures I filched from my Instagram that gives an overview of the month:

- sat in the sun with my dogs
- harrassed them endlessly for photos, even though they usually sabotage my attempts because they don't like being photographed
- got tempted for the first time in a while to play video games (this one's a computer game though)
- found some new colors I liked, mostly purples
- ate more pastries than I usually do

- drank more tea than coffee
- got some fresh air
- listened to new music

Here's one:

It includes a sample of Linda Scott's 'I've Told Every Little Star.' I couldn't figure out where I'd heard it before, but mini-mystery solved.

I really like this right now, it's on repeat while I'm redesigning my website.

Smile Down Upon Us album cover

Smile Down Upon Us is actually a collaborative project between moomLooo in Japan and Keiron Phelan and David Sheppard (of Phelan Sheppard) in London. Keiron and David have actually have never met moomLooo, and they hardly know a thing about one another... mysterious collaborations.

At any rate, it's a successful combination with Keiron and David providin

g instrumentals and spoken words, and moomLooo providing additional instrumentals and vocals in both English and Japanese.

9.5 x 9.5" (original).

Graphite + digital.

I was inspired by moomLooo's hairstyle and overall aesthetic - it strikes me as a bit mori-kei (If you're unfamiliar, here's an article providing a definition as well as a tumblr and blog for a visual feel of the style).

Smile Down Upon Us would be the type of music I'd choose for a magical, relaxing walk through nature :]

They also did a lovely cover of 'Tiptoe Through the Tulips':

Adele

Adele had an amazing 2011 with her album 21. Not only is she a lovely singer, she seems like she has a good attitude in general as well as evidenced by this interview.

The choice of yellow chrysanthemums is because they symbolize jilted love. Yellow flowers don't seem to have good meanings attached to them do they...?

9 x 12" watercolor paper.

Acrylic + graphite.

--

An Adele print is available here.

Francoise Hardy

Portrait of Francoise Hardy with a lily, the flower of France. Teeechnically the lily is the symbol of the now defunct French monarchy, but the flower is still strongly associated with the country.

6 x 9" watercolor paper.

Acrylic + graphite.

Bleeders album cover

As I was aimlessly wandering about looking for new music, I came across a song titled 'Bleeders' by The Trouble With Templeton. I was curious, gave it a listen, and found it inspiring.

The Trouble With Templeton is the moniker of Thomas Calder, who is the singer/songwriter behind the music and it turns out that 'Bleeders' is the title song of his first full album.

With text:

original: 9.5 x 9.5" watercolor paper.

Graphite, acrylic, and digital.

All of Bleeders is being streamed on his website, so give it a listen here.

There is also an official music video for the song:

I've also got some projects that have yet to be scanned. Hopefully I'll be able to share them with you soon :]

Your Heart is as Black as Night

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas!

I was contacted by fellow illustrator Philippe Debongnie to collaborate with his blog Jazz and Draw. It was an honor to be contacted by him, and I'm grateful for the opportunity! It was a wonderful present to see my contribution posted recently.

I can't remember anymore how I stumbled across Melody Gardot's music due to my incredible memory, but I'm glad I did because I love her deep, husky voice. Not only that, her story is amazing - music has literally saved her life. You can read about it here.

Your Heart is as Black as Night.

7.25 x 10" watercolor paper.

Graphite + acrylic.

I may not be able to post until next year, so if not I wish you all a safe, happy new year! See you in 2012~

You're In Love Again

I've been working on this on and off for quite a while, letting it sit around my workspace in various stages of completion.

This piece was inspired by Jacob Borshard's song 'You're In Love Again.' It's a bittersweet song about being on the unfortunate end (angle?) of a love triangle featuring a ukelele! Nice to hear the instrument being used in a different style than Hawaiian music, like I'm used to.

In Victorian times, the yellow rose symbolized jealousy, but now it can also be interpreted as a sign of friendship or sympathy. Ivy is associated with fidelity, friendship, affection, survival, and determination.

You're In Love Again.

10 x 14" watercolor paper.

Graphite + acrylic.

I also entered it as a CD mock-up for Laminate's Most Wanted 2 inspired by James Jean and Lori Earley. Please take a look at the amazing entries (including one by my friend Sunny Gu) and vote here!

Persephone

8 x 10" Arches paper.

Graphite + acrylic.

--

Persephone became Queen of the Underworld when Hades, god of the Underworld, kidnapped her. He burst out of the Underworld on a chariot, grabbing her while she was picking Narcissus flowers. Persephone's mother Demeter, goddess of harvest, was distraught and searched everywhere for her daughter. She refused to allow anything to grow on the earth until Zeus stopped avoiding her questions and helped her.

Zeus, not wanting everything to be destroyed, demanded that Hades return Persephone. As she was leaving, Hades offered her a pomegranate, which she ate the seeds of before returning to the surface. Whether or not she was tricked depends on what translation you read, but since she ate food from the Underworld, she would have to return to the Underworld three months out of the year. This, according the the mythology, is what causes the changes in seasons.

This is a pretty basic summary. You can read a more thorough version of the story here.

The pomegranate itself has polarizing meanings across cultures, from the fruit of the dead to symbolizing good health and fertility.

--

I also drew from this video, which I advise you not to watch if you're sensitive to potentially disturbing imagery of a gory, violent, sexual kind. Or if you're not into music erring on the 'loud' side (sorry, I'm not so good at the genre thing).

Er... well I guess the preview shot on this video kind of says it all.

Happy Halloween everyone ;]