"Left and Leaving" by The Weakerthans

Listening to: The Weakerthans "Left and Leaving" (released 2000)
Album length / Painting time: 51:46

Familiarity with the album: Oh my goodness I love this album
Recommended by: Meeeee
Painting size: 20X26"
Price: $200

"Tommy" by The Who

Listening to: The Who "Tommy" (released 1969)
Album length / Painting time: 74:00

Familiarity with the album: I don't think I'd ever heard the whole thing though.
Recommended by: Mom
Painting size: 18X24"
Price: $200

Side Note: There may have been some preconceived visuals here... well, poo poo poo- I think it's nice.

"Winged Life" by Shearwater

Listening to: Shearwater "Winged Life" (released 2004)
Album length / Painting time: 52:14

Familiarity with the album: A recent friend, but already a familiar one.
Recommended by: Jeff&Adie
Painting size: 18X24"
Price: $300

Side Note: I must have been hearing a ship burning on the ocean.

"All Things Must Pass" by George Harrison

Listening to: George Harrison "All Things Must Pass" (released 1970)

Album length / Painting time: 105:59 (that's a long album)

Familiarity with the album: Very familiar

Recommended by: Sarah

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $300
Side Note(s): George is a great love of my life. I was so excited when Sarah recommended this album. "All Things Must Pass" is long and exceptional and important. I was nervous to paint it, but I'm pretty pleased with the result.

Also, I'm back. Let's paint music.

"Blacklisted" by Neko Case

Listening to: Neko Case "Blacklisted" (released 2002)

Album length / Painting time: 37:18

Familiarity with the album: Didn't know it.

Recommended by: Anna

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $300
Side Note(s): Though I wasn't familiar with the album, I feel like I captured my experience of it. The whole thing felt like fireflies and grass to me and, well, that's what the painting looks like! Unfortunately, this dumb, blurry picture doesn't do the painting justice. There is a lot of detail that I just couldn't capture. Want to come over with your awesome camera and show me how it's done? Want to come over and decide if you REALLY want to buy all of these paintings? Okay! Also, I haven't posted in a while, because I've been extremely busy and out-of-town, but I'll get back in the swing of things soon! There is just so much music to paint, ya know?

Featured on Hear in Gainesville!

My friend Dante Lima wrote a really lovely piece about Seeing From Hearing on his blog! Dante is a talented writer and musician from Gainesville, FL who writes a local music blog called Hear In Gainesville. He is incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about music, and has given me a lot of insight into the albums I've painted.

Check out his piece here:
Hear In Gainesville: Seeing From hearing

And even if you're not in Gainesville, you should check out his other posts; he's got some fantastic pieces on there, and he might even turn you on to your new favorite band!

"Ys" by Joanna Newsom

Listening to: Joanna Newsom "Ys" (released 2006)

Album length / Painting time: 55:38

Familiarity with the album: I was ignorant. I didn't know.

Recommended by: Andrew

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $200
Check it out below: Another makin'-it video! I left the sound in again; though it sounds like nonsense sped up like this, I like it. Be sure to check out my weirdo foot at 1:30!

"Give Up" by The Postal Service

Listening to: The Postal Service "Give Up" (released 2003)

Album length / Painting time: 44:59

Familiarity with the album: I love this album! These songs are College for me. It's my "I'm goin' out tonight", "I live in a big city", "I'm not gonna sleep", "I'm an artist" album.

Recommended by: I'm giving Julia the credit on this one (thanks for all the music)!

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $200
Side Note: I think this painting looks like the music, but doesn't feel like the music. Out of curiosity, I just did an image search for the actual album cover- which I had actually never seen before- and it's kind of great: A simple cover for such a rich album, and it works. 

"Fleet Foxes" by Fleet Foxes

Listening to: Fleet Foxes "Fleet Foxes" (released 2008)

Album length / Painting time: 39:15

Familiarity with the album: I know it pretty well, actually. I surprised myself.

Recommended by: Elliot

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $200

"Pink Moon" by Nick Drake

Listening to: Nick Drake "Pink Moon" (released 1972)

Album length / Painting time: 28:22

Familiarity with the album: Familiar.

Recommended by: Chris

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $300

"Pet Sounds" by The Beach Boys

Listening to: The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" (released 1965)

Album length / Painting time: 35:58

Familiarity with the album: Honestly? I had never listened to it.

Recommended by: Jeff L., Dante, Laura, Biz

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $200
Okay, so: It's one of the most influential records of all time. I know that. Maybe it's just my association with these songs as singular entities being pounded into my brain by the oldies station... Perhaps. It's just not moving me. "God Only Knows" is certainly a beautiful song, but I don't find this album particularly inspiring. I like it alright. But it's not rubpaintallovermybodyinaswoon-worthy.

My boyfriend was with me when I worked on this piece, and he felt the same way. When the album was done, he joked, "The Beach Boys? More like Shitty Vampire Weekend", which comment I proceeded to post on Facebook, for its hilarity. I never expected the backlash that resulted. There were too many comments and discussions to post it all, but here are some favorites:

"That sentence makes me hate Jeff."

"Does Jeff have a problem with the Beach Boys? Has he ever heard "Pet Sounds"? Is he a complete IDIOT?"

"Vampire Weekend=Shit"

"Every thing can't be all BASS heavy like your dang hippity-hoppity music."

Things got a little heated. My conclusion? People are really passionate about the music they love. So am I! Though I have never felt "right" for liking something, while someone else was "wrong" for being unmoved by it. I LOVE Tom Waits. I think he is brilliant, but I know a lot of people who will take a BIG PASS on Tom. He doesn't do it for everyone. Sgt. Pepper doesn't even do it for everyone! Pet Sounds will probably be a North Star for fans and musicians for ages, but others will simply live and die for... whatever they want. Vampire Weekend. And fair enough.

"Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs" by Andrew Bird

Listening to: Andrew Bird "Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs" (released 2005)

Album length / Painting time: 53:24

Familiarity with the album: Quite familiar.

Recommended by: Laura!

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $300

Check it out below: My first video! I sped it up, so of course the album sounds nothing like music (in fact, more like chirping birds than Andrew Bird) But you can see the progression of the painting, which is pretty interesting.

"Begin to Hope" by Regina Spektor

Listening to: Regina Spektor "Begin to Hope" (released 2006)

Album length / Painting time: 47:15

Familiarity with the album: Familiar with all of the songs, but not in album form.

Recommended by: Me. I was just too curious about the result...

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $200

Side note: I can NOT listen to "Samson" or "Summer in the City" without crying. It isn't possible. In fact, I haven't been listening to Regina much since I realized what she does to me. There are (literally) tears in this painting.

"In the Aeroplane over the Sea" by Neutral Milk Hotel

Listening to: Neutral Milk Hotel "In the Aeroplane over the Sea" (released 1998)
Album length / Painting time: 39:51
Familiarity with the album: Vaaaaaaaague familiarity
Recommended by: Brian, the Great Music Recommender. And a nod to Dante for The Talk. Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $200
Side note: This is the first piece that I'm really questioning. Up until now, I have mostly felt that my images were right-on (for me)... but I almost feel like this album it too complicated to be captured in this way. I also don't know the album very well, and am overwhelmed. What do you think?

"The Whole Story" by Kate Bush

Listening to: Kate Bush "The Whole Story" (released 1986, songs recorded 1977-1986)
Album length / Painting time: 48:53
Familiarity with the album: LOVED IT in high school. Haven't heard it in a while.
Recommended by: me. I once painted "Hounds of Love" in a high school art class.
Painting size: 21X30"
Price: $150
Side note: This is a compilation album. Valid for the project? I think so.

"A Question of Balance" by The Moody Blues

Listening to: The Moody Blues "A Question of Balance" (released 1970)
Album length / Painting time: 38:35
Familiarity with the album: It's been with me for years, though not prominently.
Recommended by: me. A very visual album.
Painting size: 18X24"
Price: $150
Side note: How bad is my camera? SO BAD. No fretting allowed though; the painting isn't worthy of that.

"Veckatimest" by Grizzly Bear

Listening to: Grizzly Bear "Veckatimest" (released 2008)
Album length / Painting time: 52:02
Familiarity with the album: mmm, I THINK I had MAYBE heard a couple songs before.
Recommended by: Dante
Painting size: 20X26"
Price: $200
Side note: Some of the paintings are extremely difficult to photograph with my crappy camera. This one's a perfect example.

"Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" by Bright Eyes

Listening to: Bright Eyes "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" (released 2005)
Album length / Painting time: 50:05
Familiarity with the album: I know that stuff
Recommended by: soy yo.
Painting size: 20X26"
Price: $200

"Sink Like a Symphony" by Fred Thomas

Listening to: Fred Thomas "Sink Like a Symphony" (released 2006)
Album length / Painting time: 48:55
Familiarity with the album: My favorite album. If you've never heard it, you should. Click his name to hear some tunes. Click HERE to buy it.
Recommended by: my heart and brain
Painting size: 18X24"
Price: $200

"In Rainbows" by Radiohead

Listening to: Radiohead's "In Rainbows" (released 2007)
Album length / Painting time: 42:43
Familiarity with the album: Vague familiarity
Recommended by: Jeff
Painting size: 20X26"
Price: $300

"Alice" by Tom Waits

Listening to: Tom Waits' "Alice" (released 2002)
Album length / Painting time: 48:23
Familiarity with the album: We go WAY back.
Recommended by: This one was all me.
Painting size: 20X26"
Price: $300

"The Golden Archipelago" by Shearwater

Listening to: Shearwater's "The Golden Archipelago" (released 2010)
Album length / Painting time: 38:11
Familiarity with the album: Know it
Recommended by: Jeff
Painting size: 16X30"
Price: $200

"Rook" by Shearwater

Listening to: Shearwater 's "Rook" (released 2008)

Album length / Painting time: 38:18

Familiarity with the album: First time listen
Recommended by: Jeff

Painting size: 20X26"

Price: $300