Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Fast Car

Put on the Kline jazz playlist I've been listening to, and somehow a few lonely songs had got attached to it. Like Nina Simone's heartbreaking "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" that I picked up from the Womenfolk site.

Awhile ago, blogger friend ThatColoredFella put out a poll of sorts asking for the songs that made everyone immediately cry as soon as they heard the first notes. I responded with anything by Janis Ian (Society's Child, At Seventeen), but I believe the prize really goes to Tracy Chapman and Fast Car, TCF's choice.

So the song came on and whatever I had thought to be painting started changing. I started looking at narrow passages, possibilities for escape that then blocked. At colors, like love, that beckon with pretty and vivid brightness, but that dull, and then trap. I wanted to paint something about routes you might take, and the ones that don't work.

All on a 9 x 12 inch surface. Yeah, right.