I had the idea to do a series of paintings of musicians from Lansing and the area in Summer 2007. I like working from human subjects (not necessarily portraits), and musicians are frequently interesting people. The driving concept, however, was my desire to comment on the seemingly universal belief in small cities and towns that the city/town one is in is a cultural backwater. I've lived in a number of places, and no matter where I've been, I hear a number of people make this complaint about the local environs. This holds true for Lansing, as it did in Tempe, Louisville, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, etc. I don't know what brings about this cultural inferiority complex, but I don't believe it is well founded. I think talent exists in about the same concentration everywhere. Lansing has no lack of talented artists of all media. I chose to direct this project's focus toward musical artists, in part because I believe Lansing and the Lansing area is particularly strong in that respect. I think if one considers the musicians that are based in this area, you will realize that we have a pretty rich music community.

This painting is of Andy Wilson and Josh Davis, of the band Steppin' In It. I took some picures of them on a Monday night at The Green Door Lounge, and did this 20" x 16" painting of them from one of the photos.

This is Wally Pleasant, an East Lansing icon of sorts. Back in the early 1990s, I moved to Ithaca, NY, for two years to work at Cornell University. It was while I was living there that I first heard Wally's "Songs About Stuff".

This is Rachael Davis, who I don't really know much about, other than I like her voice, and her music. She performs as a solo act, and when with "Steppin' in it", as "Shout Sister Shout". Her website is: http://www.rachaeldavis.com

This is Dominic John Suchyta, bass player with "Steppin' In It" and "Shout Sister Shout". He's also my bass teacher.