Painting Music

Is it possible, using watercolor, to paint a visual image that invokes in the viewer the sensation of an auditory event? Can one paint music?

This was the challenge for me as I contemplated my entry for the show (and free recital) tomorrow afternoon at Providence Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia, whose theme is “Painting the Music.”

I decided to use a book format, since like a piece of music, a book has a beginning and an end. However, this book is all pictures, and I used a “pop-up” format to give more of the impression of motion and the explosion of sound.

Melodic Lines, mixed media (watercolor and textiles)

The book opens and closes on the diagonal, has three main painted panels, painted on the front and the back, has a ribbon tie to hold it shut, and decorative tassels. The covers are made from foam core board covered with a sequined material.