The reasons behind my choices for this painting and the pairing of music are very unclear to me even though I was incredibly picky throughout the process. When it comes to visual inspiration, I almost always turn to Pinterest. I use it so often that my algorithm is perfected to my exact taste. I have even had friends ask me to use my Pinterest for their search query. It is my fourth most used app behind the New York Times’ Games. Anyway, Pinterest is where I started. I originally sought out (and found!) a watercolor painting of birds, and through much querying found artist Alice Ravenel Huger Smith.
This particular painting pleases me for several reasons. Firstly, the colors and motifs are a complete evocation of my nursery, of which I keep photos around to look at when I am feeling nostalgic. My mom chose a “fairy” theme, painting the walls purple with clouds going up onto the ceiling, and fairy lights wrapped in organza are strung into the center of the room. Secondly, the location of the image, a bayou in Charleston where Huger Smith based most of her work, reminds me of The Princess and the Frog, which is clearly the best Disney Princess movie. No, South Carolina and Louisiana aren’t that close, but they both have bayous, ok?
The first direction I thought I may go in as far as audio was a jazz/blues song from the Charleston Renaissance, which took place around the time the painting was created. The problem here was that the jazz of the time seemed too energetic for the painting, which is melancholic and seems to depict a place where time stands still. Blues on the other hand, would pay no heed to the idyllic colors and impressionism (sorry, Bessie Smith). If I had my choice, I probably would have chosen a Mazzy Star song. Mazzy Star is not in the Creative Commons.
I found the chosen song on FreeMusicArchive.org by searching “ambient jazz”, clicking through many different songs until I found the right one, then finding it again after making an account and getting redirected. I wish the song page listed the instruments used, because it is hard for me to tell if the wind instrument is a saxophone or not. The song does sound more modern than 1920’s jazz, which, to me, is perfectly fitting for a painter whose work fits so well into my very contemporary tastes.
Hey Liv, I love using Pinterest to find aesthetic inspiration for fashion and room decor too! I really like your soothing music choice and the beautiful watercolor painting that goes with it. It’s so interesting how we both went for a nostalgic, sentimental vibe, but yours definitely feels more positive than mine. The fairy theme for your nursery sounds so sweet. I don’t actually remember my own nursery, but I do have a strong memory of my mom creating a castle-themed room for me when I was little. It had a bunk bed that turned into a castle, and gorgeous pink translucent curtains that fit the whole princess feel. I think the audio you chose transformed the image into something soothing and dreamy. I can think of more mystical audio when combined with this image, but it fits what you were going for.
Howdy Liv,
I enjoyed reading your post and was surprised you chose Ravenel Huger SmSmith’s painting. Your connection to your childhood nursery and the nostalgic feeling you described add a personal touch to the selection. The colors and motifs in the painting evoke a sense of warmth and comfort, especially with the fairy lights and thuds on the ceiling. It’s incredible how art can trigger such vivid memories!
As for the music, I get why you chose “Our Last Hope” by Lobo Loco. The ambient jazz quality aligns well with the melancholic, timeless feel of the painting. Your reasoning for not going with a more energetic jazz or blues track makes sense, as those would have contrasted with the peaceful, still nature of the bayou scene. The pairing you selected enhances the quiet, reflective mood of the artwork.
Could other audio options create a different atmosphere with more natural sounds, like birds chirping or flowing water? That might be interesting to explore in the future!
From a technical perspective, I didn’t notice any issues with the post. Your links work well, and the audio plays smoothly. The image is clear, but please confirm whether the audio was embedded correctly. Hence, it plays directly in the post instead of opening in a new window.
Great work overall!
Hey Liv,
My initial reaction to your image is just general tranquility, I grew up around swamps and seeing that painting with those colors and through the darkness it truly does take you to that place of southern sunset in the middle of nowhere its gorgeous. I didn’t like the music very much at first, separately it just didn’t fit that feeling of where the image took me originally – but playing that and reading your blog about it really changed my perspective. You did an excellent job of taking the reader back and evoking that nostalgia that you felt with this post, your memories from your childhood and your favorite Disney princess movie, you took me there. The sound enhances and unexpectedly transformed the meaning of the photo for me, well done!