Heart Art // Neofolk Romantique with Sharon Knight

I am so excited to share my first artist interview!
Heart Art is all about loving art, loving to create and people who are making and creating amazing things.

It is my pleasure to introduce Sharon Knight. Sharon and I have only known each other a few short months, but I am so glad to have been grouped with her into our little mastermind group that meets once a month. We get to share our goals and what we are working on...I love Sharon's free spirit. Her current album, Neofolk Romantique, is due to release this month, so enjoy getting to know Sharon and then go check out her site!

 Name: Sharon Knight

Art Medium/Niche: Musician, artist, and collector of strange things.

Website:
www.sharonknight.net
www.sharonknight.etsy.com

How did you get started in music/Neofolk Romantique? 
I have been a musician forever, although I only decided to go for it as a full time career 4 years ago. I starting out learning traditional Celtic songs, and have gone on to write my own, based in mythology, faerytale, and story. I love fantastical characters. My music is folk-based, and very infused with romance and whimsy. It's not really strictly traditional any more so we (my husband and I) made up our own name that describes the feel of the music better. I have recently created an Etsy store that features all things Neofolk Romantique as well, for those who might want to bring the quirky, enchanted feel of our songs more fully into their lives.

Where can we hear some of your music? Where can we see you play?
Visit my website! For music players and store:
http://www.sharonknight.net/music.html
We tour every summer, and our tour dates are lining up on our site, right here: http://www.sharonknight.net/tour.html
Highlights for me are the Faerierworlds Festival and the Virginia Highlands Celtic Festival.

Your biggest accomplishment with your art? 
I am pretty proud of my current album, due for release in July 2013, and which, coincidentally is called "Neofolk Romantique". I am also pleased to be playing main stage at some major festivals, this is a new development, and one that I am very pleased about!

Where do you see yourself in 1 year.....in 10 years? 
I am working on building inroads into the European music market, so with persistence and luck I plan to be touring over there next summer. In 10 years I want to be a headlining artist at major festivals all over the world. In 10 years I will no doubt be ready to ease up on touring so I am putting the the artistic wing of Neofolk Romantique together now, in the form of an Etsy store. I plan for this to grow into a full-on boutique over time.

Where do you draw your inspirations for your music from? 
Nature, myth and legend, fantasy, romance. Amazing people in history or in my life. Stories that sweep me off my feet.

What projects, collaborations are you working on right now?
I am finishing up my next album with my husband Winter. He is my main collaborator and a fantastic musician He has recently completed recording studio tracks for Blondie's latest album! OVer the years we have developed such an outstanding rapport, we practically read each others' minds in the studio, it is such a great working relationship, I can't imagine doing this without him.

What are you hobbies? 
Hiking in the woods, Creating all sorts of art. Being in nature. I used to belly dance a lot, but I don't have a lot of time for hobbies these days, I must say!

Fave musicians?
Loreena McKennit, Faun, Azam Ali, lots of Finnish metal. Sj Tucker. Wendy Rule. Heather Dale. I could go on and on....

Anything catching your eye for summer?
Faerieworlds! It is a large outdoor festival dedicated to Faerielore...wonderful costumes and enchanting music all weekend. Spectacular light show at night! I am so looking forward to playing their main stage again this year!

All photos courtesy of sharonknight.net.


xo,

 

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Love that song

Hello Loves!

I know. It has been awhile...I guess I just needed a break. I've been working through a few things. I have some of them figured out, others not so much, but that is okay. My to do list is long and I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed, but I am solving it when I can. Overwhelm = highly under-motivated to do anything = nothing gets done...but that little fit is behind me now and I am moving forward and I hope in big ways.

Moorea Seal is back with her 52 Lists Project and last week was...list your favorite songs!

Um, I didn't have enough paper for this list and not all of them are on there, because half the time it is not till I hear the song that I remember how much I love it. I don't know, but I think those might actually be the best ones! They come up just at the right time...right when you need them. There are also songs on this list that I might be a bit ashamed to love, but to be honest, I don't take this stuff seriously. Music is about fun and how it makes you feel! Right?

So here is my list...I actually downloaded the sheet for this week and wrote it out - I have to admit that it was kinda fun. You should check out Mindflight, she does all of her lists in calligraphy for practice...love it!

Week 21
my favorite songs.
anything from the beatles - "two of us"
anything from the black keys - "gold on the ceiling"
"here comes the sun" - george harrison (acoustic)
"mayonaise" - smashing pumpkins (acoustic)
"always love" - nada surf
"fly me to the moon" - sinatra (our song)
"wish you were here" - pink floyd
*I am a sucker for acoustic versions and tracks

What are your favorites? What did I miss? New music is always good! Hit me with what you got in the comments down below...so I can listen to it on repeat (and annoy the heck out Jimi)! ;)

xo,

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52 Lists Project // Week 8

For more info on the 52 Lists Project, head over to Moorea Seal.

Prompt: List your favorite albums.

I love classic rock and a good album is simply the best. There is nothing like the original idea of having a compilation of songs that are all meant for each other, that are actually enhanced as a group. It is hard to come by in popular music now, not like in the classic rock days, in my opinion. There is such a big focus on hit songs now in music. I find myself not liking many of the other songs on the album or the hit single is more catchy than anything. So for that reason I am really excited about this prompt...I am excited to see what albums others enjoy. I love finding new (to me) music.

This topic was also kind of hard. What constitutes a favorite album? Because, I have a lot of favorites, so I originally listed all of those. But, then Jimi asked me, do you really like every single song on the album? This is how Jimi justifies a favorite album to himself, he also says this might be a bit snobbish of him, but I can respect that. When I asked myself this, I did edit the list a bit, but there were some albums that I just couldn't leave off...so now I have this list...

*Note: That is not to say that every album on this list is pure gold, some are just fun, or spoke to me at one time, or another.

I needed a bigger notebook for this list!

Week 8
favorite albums.

The Beatles // Let it Be.
The Black Keys // El Camino.
The Who // Who's Next.
Smashing Pumpkins // Siamese Dream.
Eddie Vedder // Ukulele Songs.
Sublime // Sublime.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience // Are You Experienced.
Sara Evans // Stronger.
Neil Young // Harvest Moon.
The Cars // The Cars Complete Greatest Hits.
Jack Johnson // In Between Dreams.
Alabama Shakes // Boys & Girls.
Matt Costa // The Songs We Song.
Saves The Day // Stay What You Are.
The Doors // The Best of The Doors.
Sting // Fields of Gold.
Something Corporate // Leaving Through the Window.
Pink Floyd // The Dark Side of the Moon.
Slightly Stoopid // Closer to the Sun.
Taylor Swift // Red.
George Harrison // The Best of George Harrison.
Natasha Bedingfield // Strip Me.
Led Zeppelin // Led Zeppelin III.
The Beatles // Rubber Soul.
Enya // A Day Without Rain.
The Band Perry // The Band Perry.
Phantom Planet // The Guest.
The Black Keys // Brothers.
Rad Bones // What It Is.
Slightly Stoopid // Acoustic Roots.
Jet // Get Born.
The Beautiful Girls // We're Already Gone.
The Beatles // Abbey Road.
Imogen Heap // Speak For Yourself.
Cold Mountain Soundtrack.
Step Into Liquid Soundtrack.

Happy Listening!

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The OC Fair

The Orange County Fair is in full swing right now in Costa Mesa, California.  After all, it is summer and it is fair season.

The OC fair offers lots of fun things besides games and rides.  If you go just to walk around like I do there are several areas dedicated to animals, livestock and agriculture, like their very own Centennial Farm.  They also offer a bunch of different exhibition buildings that display art, crafts, and products.

If you go for the music, near the exhibits is The Hanger that offers live free music to everyone at the fair.  When we were there, an Elton John tribute band, called Elton-The Early Years, was on stage and they were very good - only playing Elton's classics.  They also have The Pacific Amphitheatre which has a full line up for the whole summer.

And then there is, of course, the food.  We all go for the food - whether it is good corn on the cob, a deep fried something, or the chocolate cover bacon and cotton candy, it is all good (or bad, depending on how you look at it).

I enjoy the animals mostly, maybe a ride and some greasy food.  We always go at night, so there is someone playing at the Hanger and we take a stroll through an exhibit or two.  Here are a few shots of some of the cute animals I found.

Photo Credit: Maddie Dierkes

They even had some fireworks going off.  It is a great way to spend a summer night, it is something different from the normal everyday, and it only comes once a year, so might as well enjoy it! :)

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Eddie Vedder, Ukulele Songs

I am in love with the softer side of Eddie Vedder.  

His newest solo album Ukulele Songs that was released in May of 2011 is full of unique tracks that are a treasure to find.  He lets you escape to a place where you can literally feel his soul.  He brings a melancholy vibe to usually upbeat instrument and creates a wonderfully juxtaposition between his somewhat sad lyrics and the lovely twang of the ukulele.  Furthermore, this album is a beautiful showcase of the depth and volume of his voice.  There is nothing flat in this album, each song has as much depth and feeling as anything a full band could produce with a handful of instrumentals and vocals. 

Don't expect a stripped down version of Pearl Jam, but rather Eddie Vedder stripped down to his soul, something you can only get from a solo album.  Expect bittersweet. 

Bittersweet is a feeling I have been in love with and obsessed with for a very longtime.  Whether it is beautifully painful, pleasant with twinge of sadness, or creates so much loving feeling that the thought of ever loosing it brings you the deepest sadness, they all bring up the deepest emotions.  And for this reason, bittersweet gets me every time.

Check out his album on Amazon and enjoy!!!

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Amoeba Music

The last time I was at Amoeba Music was when I went to LA with  one of my best friends for a concert.  I cannot even remember the band we were going to see, but the tickets we had were free from her sister and it turns out she gave us the wrong night.  So we ended up at Amoeba and I loved it! 

I found myself there again this past weekend, lead by my sister (who now lives in LA) and Jimi, and I was ecstatic!  Our visit to see my sister total happened on a whim, I had a not so great day on Saturday, so my first thought was I need to hang out with Lily...and there we were Sunday morning.  So, when she said food and Amoeba, I was all in.

Isles and isles of music (records and CDs from all genres) and then isles and isles of DVDs/BluRays (they have everything) and they are all second hand, equaling pretty cheap.  Jimi and I came out with 5 DVDs, 1 BluRay, and 9 CDs for about 100 bucks.  The most expensive thing was the The Book of Eli BluRay/DVD/Digital Copy at around 15 bucks, which is about half off.  All of my CDs came in around $3.99 and Jimi was able to score 2 DVDs that were both only $1.99, or $Free.99, as we like to call it.

Huge selection, good music, a good vibe, great deals, and a friendly staff. 

I wish they had one closer to us, then LA, because I love CDs/DVDs and the idea of having a collection.  There is nothing like really wanting to watch that one movie you have been craving, or really wanting to listen to that album you have been thinking of and it being right there in your collection.  Yeah you can buy files, these days, which I do, sometimes.  But when it comes to an album, I love the overall feel it can have, with the album art, the CD art and the song placement. 

I love a good album, even more than I love a good song, because a good song doesn't always necessarily last, but a good album becomes a lifetime favorite and never gets old. <3

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George Harrison: Living in the Material World Stateside May 1st!

Not only am I a huge Beatles fan, but maybe even more importantly, I am a huge George Harrison fan.

So to say that I am excited for George Harrison: Living in the Material World a Martin Scorsese Picture to be stateside May 1st is an understatement. I have been obsessed with this since it came out in October of 2011 on HBO.

I do not have HBO, and I am pretty sure as of June this year we will no longer have cable and I will have to resort to watching my one and only favorite TV show on my computer, but I am okay with it, because our tv is on maybe twice a week. So I was unable to watch it in October. :(

Now fast forward to this morning, opening Facebook on my iPhone, to see that I now only have to wait one more month exactly for it to be mine forever! Oh yeah I have already pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition Box set on Amazon. I have only heard amazing things about this documentary, and I would never think of Harrison or Scorsese to disappoint!

Find out more here:
http://www.georgeharrison.com/

Here is to amazing talent, beautiful people, and finding perfection, in the imperfections of life.
George, we will forever love what you left behind for us, your music! <3

“I think people who truly can live a life in music are telling the world, ‘You can have my love, you can have my smiles. Forget the bad parts, you don’t need them. Just take the music, the goodness, because it’s the very best, and it’s the part I give most willingly”
― George Harrison

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Two of Us

I went to The Lighthouse Deli & Cafe with Jimi two weekends ago for our "Valentine's Day" day together. We took President's Day off and went up to Long Beach for the whole day. It consisted of road trippin', breakfast, The Aquarium of the Pacific, coffee, coffee, good tunes, and good company. Not only do I love road trips that consist of me and Jimi exploring or embarking on a new adventure, but I love it being just the "Two of Us." My favorite Beatles song off of my favorite Beatles album...Let It Be. "Just the two of us riding nowhere." Yep, that is pretty much it. Good laughs, good conversation, and good vibes. I feel like that is all we would ever need...a car you can sleep in the back of, a destination (or maybe not), an iPod and the open road.

The Lighthouse Deli & Cafe is exactly as I remember it, with the exception of a new paint job outside. I had not been back there for probably 10 years. My grandpa, Poppy, used to take me and my sister there every time we came up to Long Beach to visit him for the weekend when we were younger. It was always The Lighthouse Cafe, a new toy, a little adventure to the Seal and Sea Lion rescue or The Park, Kid's Cuisines, Squeeze Its, an old movie, and the two couches in his living room. Seriously the best! Lily knows what I am talking about.

Since it had been so long since I had been to The Lighthouse Cafe and back then my sister and I were only ever about French Toast and Hot Chocolate(which I still get), I had no idea what the food was actually going to be like. Jimi is not easy to please (as far as breakfast and fish tacos are concerned) so I was hoping this little trip was not going to be a disappointment. Let me just say, the food was A-M-AZING. Jimi will agree with me...he rated it 2nd best to Omelette Parlour! And for those of you had the chance to get a bite of OP before it closed know that this is a very good rating. So if you are ever in Long Beach looking for breakfast, I recommend it. And for my paddling friends, it is just a block or two from the launch site of the Cabrillo run.

So here is to good memories, road trips, being pleasantly surprised, and still loving hot chocolate as much as I did when I was a kid. <3

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