12 August 2008, #6. "Night Burn" - 8m05s

I thought longer than usual about how to render this painting, "Night Burn" by Sidney Goodman. I decided after much contemplation to imagine this act, frozen in time in the painting, in an unusual way. Instead of the tragedy of a man burning, I wanted to focus on the spectacle of the flame. I imagined the man as a work of art himself, comprised of deeds and experiences, and tried to capture the solemn beauty of the destruction of such a piece of art. Like the best funerals, it became a celebration of life.

I noticed that this piece shares a lot with the last two minutes of "Nighthawks." I was still quite enamored with the tonalities I had discovered in that effort, and found the right opportunity to explore them further. (The similarity in titles is surely coincidence.)

"Night Burn" (1986-87) by Sidney Goodman
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Recorded on August 12th, 2008, at Magic Closet Studios, in Portland, OR.

12 August 2008, #5. "Figures in a Landscape" #2 - 5m59s

As I finished interpreting Sidney Goodman's "Figures in a Landscape" the first time, I wasn't altogether satisfied. I felt like I had not done a good enough job of capturing the melancholy and foreboding that I felt in the painting. So I decided to try again. I think that my two efforts taken together are a better counterpiece to Goodman's painting.

"Figures in a Landscape" (1972-3) by Sidney Goodman
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Recorded on August 12th, 2008, at Magic Closet Studios, in Portland, OR.

12 August 2008, #4. "Figures in a Landscape" #1 - 6m57s

I won't say much about this one. I was affected by the stagnation apparent in the painting, and did my best to bring that out in my playing.

"Figures in a Landscape" (1972-3) by Sidney Goodman
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Recorded on August 12th, 2008, at Magic Closet Studios, in Portland, OR.

An acknowledgement.

I ought to acknowledge my friend Beth Champion, who suggested all of the paintings for the session; she is much more passionate about art than I, and picked some wonderful (and fruitful) pieces of art. Thank you, Beth!

12 August 2008, #3. "The Bricoleur's Daughter" - 5m23s

"The Bricoleur's Daughter" by Mark Tansey (1987)
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Recorded on August 12th, 2008, at Magic Closet Studios, in Portland, OR.