On Inspiration and the Stories We Carry
I wish for you a beautiful start to 2024.
Before I wash my children’s painting pallets, I always paint something with the excess paint. The colors are usually quite random, often mixed and limited. I enjoy this moment of painting, the only one I ever have. The paper is thin and the paints are Crayola Ultra-Washable - absolutely nothing fancy or professional here. While I don’t particularly like the paintings that I make, the beauty for me comes in the line of poetry that arrives and becomes the painting’s title.
I wanted to include a photo of my little painting, When the world was filled with flowers, but it was either accidentally filed in my children’s keepsakes or it found its way to the recycling bin.
As a songwriter and poet, I’m always astonished at how different art forms inspire and inform one another. I find this often with photographs, textiles and visual art. When I begin to tell you more about my new album, I’ll share with you the works that have inspired many of the songs. It is a wonderful, random grouping.
I enjoy taking polaroids. Just like I am in no way a painter, I don’t claim to be a photographer, but I find that each polaroid that I take (and also the ones that I wanted to take, but missed the shot), help to shape my words.
polaroid photo Pesaro, Italy 2019
Like many songwriters, the current state of the world constitutes a large part of the themes in my songwriting. The American songwriters of the 1960’s spoke so poignantly through their songs. Music moves us to deeper realms and opens up closed hearts. The stories of our time serve as the warp for song weaving.
Who are we but the stories we can tell?
-Unknown
What is the story of our time? The story of our lives? What is it that you carry?
It is my vision that this new year brings you bundles of flowers to carry and that the story you are writing in every moment of every day is one that is full and filled with compassion.
A new song will be released soon and a then a whole new album of music. Until then, I leave you with a song that seems to become more relevant with the passing of time.
I hope that you are having a beautiful holiday season. I wish for you all the best in 2024.
With love,
Kendy