art and music integration

Creating Visual Harmony

I am so excited to share with you a guest post today by Lynette Melnyk.  In this post, she discusses how music helps her as an artist in creating visual harmony.  If you are an artist, you might read this and find that listening to music may be just what you need to inspire you.  Art and music integration is so important and they really do go hand in hand. 

 

What is an artist

The word ART is something that many people take for granted and don’t really give it an extra thought. It is a simple three letter word that we learn at a very young age, usually when our parents give us a crayon and a piece of paper, we make a few marks and then it gets hung up on the fridge. An artist is born! We may not understand at the time what caused us to make those marks on the paper, but there was probably some unconscious emotional influence that moved our hand in order to express our creativity.

The Oxford Dictionary defines art as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”

 

Music and art

But music, of course, is also art, in auditory form. Although when you go beyond specifically of what you hear – the actual musical notes and lyrics (if present) – music is also a highly visual art form. Watching musicians play live or on TV/DVD brings another total dimension to music as a form of visual art.

With that in mind, music and art go hand-in-hand, or in my case, brush-in-hand. As a contemporary fine artist, my abstract expressionist style is created from my interpretation of nature, dance and music. My work is like painting music, which may explain my multiple artistic personalities from my energetic and lyrical bold abstracts to my romantic organic style.

 

How does music inspire you

For me, music plays a big role in the inspiration of my art. Music itself is abstract. It is full of moving energy. When I play music while painting in my studio, that moving energy flows out onto the canvas in the form of lyrical strokes and movements. The creativity flows, just as the paint flows, while the layers and layers create a depth to the story. The strong or gentle pouring of paint on a canvas, to the pushing of paint with a palette knife or some other object, is all guided by the influence of the music surrounding me in that moment.

When I am not in the studio or dealing with the business of art, or coaching artists in business, I enjoy nature and travel, and find that listening to music enlightens my soul and reenergizes me. When travelling, I find myself drawn to the history and magic of the art and architecture that has survived the test of time. It inspires and provides creative energy which I bring back to my studio. Once I turn on the music, I find myself drawn back to those motivational forces which I channel onto the canvas.

 

It really does not matter what I listen to, whether it be pop, rock, country, jazz, or classical, the influence is still there to move me. After all, painting can be a powerful means of expression. You could say I am creating music for the eyes.

 

 

 

Lynette’s story is multifaceted. Born and raised in Alberta, Canada, she has been involved in artistic endeavours throughout her life, with formal education and experience in interior design, visual communication design, photography and painting. She owned and operated a very successful design, marketing and corporate communications business for many years. But after stepping away from the business and taking some time to recharge, in 2013, Lynette decided it was time to rekindle a long lost love for paint on canvas. It was a natural progression for her to continue to evolve the creative communication process through her art.

 

How does music inspire your budding artists?  Do you notice playing music while your child colors or paints helps them to concentrate more?  I would love to hear your thoughts about this.  

 

 

 

 

art and music integration

 

Share this:

Jessica Peresta

I'm passionate about providing music teachers with the music education resources, lesson plans, teacher training, and community you've been looking for. I believe your domestic life should be spent soaking up time with family and friends and your music teacher life while at school should not leave you feeling defeated, but should be a joyful, exciting, and rewarding experience. To find out more about me and my passion behind starting The Domestic Musician, click on the "about" tab on my website.

12 thoughts to “Creating Visual Harmony”

  1. I find it interesting how different my two kids (19 months apart) are with music. My daughter loves to have music on in the background when she is cleaning or drawing or in the car. My son does not. In fact, he usually complains if it is on!

  2. I have music playing constantly in our house, and my daughter loves to draw and dance with it on. As for me, I also always write to music. Music can be so inspiring, and I love that it fuels creativity in the two of us!

    1. Yes to all of this! Also…when I write I have to have music in so I can concentrate with my loud house ha!

  3. I love this post! I also love how intertwined music and art really are… to me they are one in the same. My son loves music and I am so excited to see where that takes him in the future- and how it helps shape is artistic side!

    1. Thank you! That is so great your son loves music and it is so great you are allowing him to follow something he is so passionate about!

  4. Yes yes yes. Music is everything and more. I find I do some of my best work, that being photography, writing, painting, when I have on my music. So inspiring. Thank you for sharing

  5. I love listening to music too, I have no particular favorite genre. I listen to music that is similar to my mood. I think my kids know that I am not in the best of moods when I start listening to heavy metal and turn the volume up. Haha.

    1. Oh my gosh yes! My music changes based on my mood too! Haha yes my kids know when I blare my music to leave me alone ha!

  6. I’m not sure that I could survive without music. I remember a girl in my Sunday school class saying that she didn’t like it and never listened to it! It blew my mind!

Comments are closed.