About #SaturdayStudioMusic

Every Saturday, when I get to my studio, I log into Twitter and send out a Tweet noting what music will be filling the workspace that day while I'm painting, drawing, sculpting - whatever. I made a hashtag for those posts called #SaturdayStudioMusic because it is a recurring activity and highlights various artists, whose music creates a very mood-altering presence while I'm working.

Ambient music is a necessity while I create. It enhances the creative process for me ten-fold; however, not all music is fit for creating that visual space. I love lots of other styles of music, but ambient, some forms of jazz, piano, classical and alternative, really strike the mood and tone I'm looking for.

I bring ambient music into the classroom as well. It has been much more successful with my college students than with younger groups of kids, but I have found lots of kids responding quite positively to it once they get into their artwork. It really changes the dynamic of a room and places an individual in a 'zone' where they forget about whatever has gone on in the busy-ness of a day and can take at least some time to chill, do some short timed sketches as an art work-out, then really get centered as they focus on the artwork and whatever is taking place with their creative voice. It is also the sort of music that allows for a teacher to deliver instruction at the same time the music plays - sort of goes hand-in-hand.

When I put out the #SaturdayStudioMusic tweet, I encourage y'all (a little southern lingo for ya) to check out the music available from the artists, follow their sites and get tuned in to this often overlooked world of other-worldly sounds. Some of it is very emotional and that really goes hand-in-hand with the creative process, imho. That is truly a very healthy thing!

Hang in there! Saturday is just hours away and if I'm hit with another bout of insomnia, I'll get the ambient jams started early!

Until next time - be good to yourself & to everyone you encounter!