"Let There Be Guitar" the exhibition-ArtByGreeny the first post.

 19th Feb 2014

Hey! This is my blog documenting the progress of an exhibition I'm currently working on. The exhibition will consist of 16 acrylic paintings, all based on the theme of American guitar slingin' singer/songwriters of the 20th (and 21st) century. Last year (2013) I completed 2 paintings in that theme that gave me the idea to make a series of 'em. The first 2 were "Kaw-Liga" by Hank Williams (see below) and "Do Re Mi" by Woody Guthrie (I'll add this to the blog later). The next in the series is the Jimmy Rodgers classic "Waiting For A Train" (Check below for lyrics and progress detail), with "My Back Pages" by Bob Dylan to follow. So, the series of 16 paintings will cover 5 decades, from Jimmy Rodgers, through to Bruce Springsteen, from Robert Johnson, to Jimmy Reed, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, to Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, from Bob Dylan to Jimi Hendrix, etc. Guitar playin' singer/songwriters that I (and millions of others) think are some of the most important and influential artists of the last (and this!!) century. The first 4 in the series, I (and many others!!) would say are the cornerstone, the absolute topper-most, best of the best...Jimmy Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams and Bob Dylan.

Being a singer/songwriter myself, I have great innerest in this topic I guess, hence the theme...Hopefully I can get friends and myself to play the featured songs at the exhibition opening...

Also, I have started a tribute series of portrait paintings of guitar greats that don't fit in the "American Singer Songwriter" category. From Elvis (See below) to Joni Mitchell, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, Ray and Dave Davies, John Lennon and George Harrison and so on...

Being Australian, I, of course really dig Australian guitar bands, and a small section of the exhibition will pay tribute to Lobby Lloyd, George, Angus and Malcom Young, Ed Kuepper, Steve Lucas and Dave McComb.

JIMMY RODGERS "WAITING FOR A TRAIN" Lyrics

All around the water tank, waiting for a train
A thousand miles away from home, sleeping in the rain
I walked up to a brakeman just to give him a line of talk
He said "If you got money, boy, I'll see that you don't walk
I haven't got a nickel, not a penny can I show
"Get off, get off, you railroad bum" and slammed the boxcar door

He put me off in Texas, a state I dearly love
The wide open spaces all around me, the moon and the stars up above
Nobody seems to want me, or lend me a helping hand
I'm on my way from Frisco, going back to Dixieland
My pocket book is empty and my heart is full of pain
I'm a thousand miles away from home just waiting for a train

 Being the 50th anniversary of "Another Side of Bob Dylan" this coming August I think I should do "My Back Pages". Great song, great imagery... Outta the hundreds of great songs Bob has written the decision  narrowed itself down to  this or "Tombstone Blues". I really wanted to paint Mid Sixties Bob, as I had done a painting of the contemporary Bob last year. Some say the mid sixties are his "greatest" period...I think he's still in his "greatest" period...

MY BACK PAGES Lyrics

Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin' high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
"We'll meet on edges, soon," said I
Proud 'neath heated brow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I'm younger than that now.

Half-cracked prejudice leaped forth
"Rip down all hate," I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull, I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I'm younger than that now.

Girls' faces formed the forward path
From phony jealousy
To memorizing politics
Of ancient history
Flung down by corpse evangelists
Unthought of, thought, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I'm younger than that now.

A self-ordained professor's tongue
Too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
"Equality," I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I'm younger than that now.

In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My existence led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I'm younger than that now.

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I'm younger than that now.

 Bob in 64'...

Woody Guthrie "Do Re Mi" Completed November 2013.