Austin Nights 01

After Memphis and Nashville nights, I have now started the series of Austin Nights, commemorating that wonderful time we spent in the USA in January/February 2010. This series is a little bit weird, almost surrealistic, bringing elements together I had seen in the towns. Most of the time they will feature musicians playing some instrument somewhere, and most of the time, on roofs, traffic lights, trees,  etc… I always loved Marc Chagall’s Fiddler on a roof, this might be an unconscious reminiscence of it….

Austin Nights 01 - By Miki

As in many other American towns, I was fascinated by some skyscrapers. Before America, I never thought I could ever be aesthetically attracted by these kind of buildings! Well, this one in Austin was gorgeous, especially by night. And it will haunt some of my Austin paintings, this is for sure! On the traffic light holding his guitar is Stevie Ray Vaughn, Austin’s legendary guitarist. I had seen his statue in the town park, the painting of him is based on it.

And if you are interested in buying a Giclee print of this portrait, it is available in many different sizes and on different supports – Papers, canvasses, etc.) in my FAA Gallery.

We have in the family another product resulting from that trip: Kev Moore’s CD “Blue Odyseey”

18 track CD over 75 minutes running time, celebrating Kev’s trip around the Music Heartland of America in the early part of 2010.

It is presented in a full-colour 6-panel Digipak with original artwork & photos.

Featuring guest musicians from America and Europe.

Cover Design by lil ol’ me!

Blue Odyssey - By Kev Moore

Available online in Miki’s Mart

The Pianist

The Pianist - by Miki

I saw him in a  show from Joe Bonamassa in the Royal Albert Hall in London… I was fascinated by his whole appearance and movement, also by the cute little Buddha sitting 0n the piano next to him. Visually So fascinated that , I must confess, I hardly paid attention to his play! But this bunch of guys were so amazing that I have no doubt the Pianist did a great job!

Anyway, I think I will make a whole series of artworks about my Pianist, Joe Bonamassa and the others guys too.. it was a delightful show, as well for the ears as for the eyes, and I do want to render a big homage to it.. as far as my artistic skills allow it!

So here is my first painting from the Pianist, as often in my music works, a mix technique between classical  and digital work. The others will be gradually posted in my portraits blog as soon as they are finished.

This painting is available  as Giclee print, in different sizes and different formats, in my FAA Gallery:

Tango Time

Motivated by my brand new website

“Painting The Music”

dedicated to music and dance artworks, I have started a new series “The Tangoscapes”. I was often asked to make some tango art works, but I always refused. Somehow I am not so keen of the dance itself, it seems too sophisticated to me. Perhaps too sexual too. Or is it a modern evolution? I have noticed that they do it with flamenco too, flamenco has million of aficionados, many women all around the world learn it, more or less professionally. But for my taste they add too much sexuality to the dance itself, and I don’t believe that it was originally meant as such. Concerning tango, I don’t know enough about it, I can’t judge.

Anyway until now tango was not inspiring me.

Because of my new website, I had a thought. Thinking I might try to paint it in another way as one normally does. Less sexual, putting weight in the atmosphere. Or  adding a background story, kind of. Of course , knowing myself very few about tango, I might totally miss the point! But to be honest,  it dies not matter to me, as long as I like the result, and have fun doing it!

Tangoscape 02 - by Miki

(inspired by the man character, whom I saw in a video)

By the way, if you want to exhibit your music/dance art

in the new site,

contact me please.

f anybody here wants to buy a print of my Tangoscape (or others), it is available in different sizes and on different supports (papers, canvas), in my FAA Gallery here:

Frustrated…

This morning I received  a mail from my dear friend Susan Cornelis  in the USA. She said:

“Reading your blog Miki it sounds like you spend all your time watching and painting golf these days, but what else is going on?“

I was quite surprised to read these lines,, as I have myself the feeling to spend working at some different projects , artistic or not, all the time and at the same time! But perhaps this does not really appear in my blog. In fact I explained her that her impression is perhaps due to the fact that I don’t take care of my blog as much as I would like, meaning I don’t post as often as I would like, hardly answer the comments, and hardly visit another blog!

There are 2 main reasons for that:

first, like surely everybody else, because of the lack of time.

And then there is another problem, which is perhaps much more important and certainly more frustrating, as I have no idea how to solve it: the language. I can of course express myself in English in a way that everybody here understands, but it is not my personal way, it is not the way I would love to write. And then I have been used since always to a very precise language, very differentiated, and I have no chance to express in English all these nuances, these details, these point of views, etc  which make a text attractive and personal. For me who loved to write, in French first, and later on in German, it is deeply frustrating and sometimes I get quite depressive about this point. Communication is so important, and right communication even more, if you want to avoid misunderstandings.

Most of the time, before I publish a post, I ask Kevin to correct it, as I struggle very much with my pride and my whole education to publish texts full of spelling and grammatical errors. Some among you might understand that, but most people say:

“But your English is very good!”

NO, IT IS NOT! It is far not good enough to allow me expressing myself, and enjoying it. This is why I most of the time publish short, quite impersonal texts, and post less often. On top of it I am a desatrous typer, and having to type on an English keyboard does not help much…

To answer Susan’s questions, yes, a lot of things are going on in my life apart from golf. But this blog is meant as mainly featuring mu artist’s life, not much more. So, artistically, as I said yesterday, I have started again with the musicians. Here are Steve Lukather and Leland Sklar from Toto.

PS: this is today me in my English language nakedness,  without Kevin’s correction, he is busy in the kitchen tiling our guitar shaped breakfast bar…

PPS: tomorrow starts a new PGA golf tournament… hurrah!