It’s not that easy

I have some sad news to share with you.

I spent the entire week with the song Dynamite by Taio Cruz playing in my head every time I tried to work.

You know, the one with great lyrics like:

I came to dance, dance, dance, dance,
I hit the floor cuz that’s my plans, plans, plans, plans,
I’m wearing all my favorite brands, brands, brands, brands…

Please don’t go find it on YouTube, because then you will be forced to watch lots of scantily clad women with power tools. That’s not safe!

But seriously, my daughter’s afterschool program is having her class dance to this song for their Spring Sing, and when I picked her up while they were rehearsing, the song got stuck in my head. Really stuck.

I’m trying my best to replace it with something better.

I tried Junip, Mos Def, Michael Nyman. No luck.

Today I tried Le Tigre’s Deceptacon, an old favorite, and I think it is winning. Maybe.

Getting a song stuck in your head is funny, but to me it’s also like feeding your brain an accidental mantra. When it’s packaged with toxic words, I really do believe it matters. Just like toxic food.

And I think it is equally true that the right words, especially with the right rhythm, can literally change your mood, your day, how you see yourself. You.

Both good and bad songs aside, I was so relieved to finish all the vector art for my next huge round of little wooden silhouettes. Here’s a little snippet of what the files look like.

There are easily a couple hundred silhouettes, and these will be for all the current panels and possibly some for the oil paintings on canvas: a total of over 30 pieces.

I sent them off to the laser cutter and celebrated with lots of oil painting.

Here you can kind of see the little taped silhouettes. Kind of.

I also started putting these tape silhouettes on the acrylic (so far) panels.

I wasn’t sure whether this one should go this way…

Or this way.

I know these will get oil paint after the tape is done, but I’m not sure after that. I’m taking it step by step with these, trying hard to remember to listen to where they want to go, instead of telling them where to go.

So this week, here’s to listening. And here’s to finding those magical words and rhythms that lift you up and keep you true. (And get rid of the bad ones.)

This is an oldie but goodie. It still always works for me.

https://youtu.be/7Vd0K8oJ1Sc