Aisha Jaffar: Exploring Music

Exploring Music 

Nancy Newton’s latest exhibition at Propeller Gallery showcased two collections of her work; From The Sea, and From The Past.


Newton, N, Flying Over. [Mixed Media Collage, 23 x 32 inches] Propeller Gallery, Toronto, ON, Canada. 


Nancy's work in From The Sea is inspired by Canadian musician R. Murray Schafer’s music. She spent 10 years exploring landscapes and making art inspired by how she felt by listening to his music. 


To view more of her work from the exhibit you can visit this link to the Propeller Gallery website: https://propellerartgallery.com/exhibitions/from-the-sea-from-the-past-nancy-newton/

 


If you would like to get a deeper understanding of Nancy’s creative process, I have provided links to 3 songs by R. Murray Schafer - you can find more on his Spotify. 


1. Dance of the Bull 

https://open.spotify.com/track/3JbYdAzFokfYtGvNNjwcGe?si=46e6b6f62b0a4d5e


2. Isis & Nephthys 

https://open.spotify.com/track/47xikNy1fHr74aWueBgdxR?si=d365aad8c986440c


3. Ariadne's Dream 

https://open.spotify.com/track/4NmUvrs2l4jcixo3XCXwDE?si=bf81698f9b094ebc


Before you listen to the song, lay out a piece of paper, any size you feel comfortable working on, along with some materials to draw or paint with. You may use markers, chalk, crayons, oil pastels, watercolour or acrylic paints, or a combination of mediums. 


When you listen to the music, simply draw what you feel on the paper, there is no right or wrong way to go about it. The goal is to let the music guide your feelings and movement. 


For a more elaborate version of this exercise:

A) pick any object around you to focus on, just as Nancy focused on shells. Observe your object and listen to the same or another song. Allow the music to guide you as you observe and draw the object. It is entirely up to you how realistic or abstractly you want to depict the object.


B) listen to the same song again, using different colours or mediums, add another layer to your work on the same paper. Maybe you’ll pay attention to different sounds, maybe new feelings will be evoked. You may do another layer right away, or give yourself some time and come back to it.  Feel free to build on it as many times as you want. 


Here are examples of works I created while listening to R. Murray Schafer attempting the exercises above. In both exercises I listened to Dance of the Bull. I chose to work on a 11 by 8" paper, and use soft pastels. 


First I did a fully abstract piece, only focusing on the music.




Next, playing the same song, I focused on an object.

I decided to pick something simple, my hair clip was the first thing in front of me. 






While you attempt the exercise, ask yourself:

  • What emotions do you feel as you listen to the music?
  • Can you find/recognize those emotions on your paper? 
  • How did you choose to depict those emotions? 
  • Did you spend more time thinking or did you allow the music to guide you? 

Reflect on how the music guided you. If you enjoyed the exercise, try this out with music by different artists you normally listen to, observe how their music guides you. 

You may also try this exercise with a friend, listen to the same song and notice how different your results are!


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