12″ x 12″ watercolor on board with copper leaf accents, inspired by “Seasons” by Ola Gjeilo.
Seasons
Serenity II
The latest in my music series is a larger version of the painting inspired by Serenity (O Magnum Mysterium), a song by Ola Gjeilo that feels ethereal and hopeful. 30″ x 40″ watercolor and copper leaf on board.
Serenity
What would happen if I let the water lead the way? What would it do if I considered my materials and then let them take over? How would they react if I found the most interesting pigments I could – the ones that blended beautifully, the ones that granulated, and the ones that broke apart into several colors on the page – and I set them loose across the biggest panels I could fit in my studio?
And then I wondered what those pigments would do if I whispered to them that they didn’t need to be anything but themselves. They didn’t need to depict anything or tell any stories: they themselves were the story and they were beautiful as they were: these are not coaxed into any patterns of water or channeled into cells and outlines.
This is Serenity, 24″ x 36″ watercolor and copper leaf on wood panel finished with varnish and wax. This is a larger version of O Magnum Mysterium, created as a response to Ola Gjeilo’s Serenity (O Magnum Mysterium.) Update, Sold October 2022.
Sunrise Mass
I painted this watercolor to Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass. This piece evokes Sunrise (Gloria) through the rich and shimmery gold leaf accents on nebulous purple washes.
View on your wallO Magnum Mysterium
O Magnum Mysterium is a Latin text describing the wonderment of the animals as they gaze on Christ. It translates to “O great mystery.” I created this art as a response to Ola Gjeilo’s Serenity (O Magnum Mysterium.) It is elegantly ethereal and mysterious.
South Carolina Artist Collaborates With Colorado Music Group To Create “Sonic Images.”
AURORA, Colo. (PRWEB) April 21, 2022 Watercolor artist Jamie Hansen has partnered with Nebula Ensemble, an award-winning experimental music group, to create a unique artwork with its own soundtrack. On April 29, 2022 at 7:00PM, Nebula Ensemble will premiere the new musical composition at The People’s Building in Aurora, Colorado.
The People’s Building is located at 9995 E Colfax Ave, Aurora, CO 80010. The space is a retrofitted furniture store turned performance and event space in the heart of Aurora’s Creative District. Nebula Ensemble has collaborated with several visual artists to create an evening of music paired with visual art. Their upcoming concert, Sonic Images, will feature musical work created in collaboration with Jamie Hansen and other visual artists.
My visual art unfolds over time for me, just like musical art, but I’m the only person that gets to experience that creating process. It’s fascinating to me that musical art unfolds in its own time and the listener must be present as it unfolds to experience the whole piece.
Jamie Hansen
“My current watercolor series is about music: I want to document the joy, community, and connections created through our musical experiences,” explains visual artist Jamie Hansen. “I connected with Nebula Ensemble last year. I was drawn to their use of technology and the experimental music the group created using traditional instrumentation. I love supporting other creators and I reached out to ask how I could get involved.”
The ensemble director paired Hansen with composer, classical guitarist, vocalist, and singer-songwriter Sarah Perske. The artists met over zoom and discussed their creative processes. Hansen explained her painting process to Sarah: “My visual art unfolds over time for me, just like musical art, but I’m the only person that ever gets to experience that creating process and see my work in that way. It’s fascinating to me that musical art unfolds in its own time and the listener must be present as it unfolds to experience the whole piece.”
Perske suggested that the pair might start their work together with a “sound sketch.” Hansen created a rough beginning to their collaboration in pale blue. The watercolor art took shape in subsequent layers, responding to Perske’s musical replies. The artists passed musical sketches and watercolor sketches over Dropbox folders, and Hansen recorded each painting session as the art took shape.
Perske’s work aims to expand the boundaries of music-making through the integration of performance art and cross-disciplinary collaboration. She recalls: “As I wrote the music, I tried to match my composing process to Jamie’s watercolor process: allowing “accidents” to re-shape the direction of the work, and using improvisation to generate much of the musical material. The end result is a work that comments on the nature of the creative process while inviting the audience to participate in that experience.”
The musical composition and video of Hansen’s process while creating “Precarious” will debut at Nebula Ensemble’s Sonic Images concert on April 29 at 7:00PM at The People’s Building in Aurora, Colorado.
Donors can support Nebula Ensemble with a purchase of an event ticket and with a purchase of visual art. Proceeds from the purchase of Hansen’s painting, “Precarious,” will support upcoming performances by Nebula Ensemble.
About Jamie Hansen:
Jamie Hansen is a watercolor artist and designer living in upstate South Carolina. She has studied fine art in the US and Germany. She has worked in watercolor for about two decades and has sold hundreds of original artworks to collectors all over the world.
About Sarah Perske:
Sarah Perske is a modern-day troubadour with a mystic bent whose haunting music blends elements of medieval, folk, rock, avant garde, and electronics. Classically trained as a guitarist, composer, and vocalist, Sarah is active in the Denver area as a freelance composer and a member of the experimental music group Nebula Ensemble.
About Nebula Ensemble:
Nebula Ensemble is an award-winning experimental music group pushing genre boundaries, advocating for living creators, and connecting with our community through immersive, multidisciplinary concert experiences.