I'm envious of musicians. In my opinion and from my experience music is generally a more immediate medium through which to impart or ilicit an emotional response than painting. A sweeping statement no doubt, but I can give an example based on something my wife said to me. Whilst working hard on a playlist for our wedding reception, listening to a large part of our CD collection she observed that just a simple key change or a couple of chords, even when isolated from the composition as a whole, can have a direct and profound effect on atmosphere and mood. Basically just 2 notes, one after the other can fire memory, imagination, emotion and so on immediately and unxpectedly and sometimes very deeply. One can be truly taken by surprise by just a fraction of a musical composition and I found her disarmingly simple point quite revelatory. That was a few years ago, but it struck me again recently when introducing our daughter to a piano for the first time. I am no musician. I never learnt to play an instrument, and she was just 18 months old, however between us, in bashing keys in a mostly random order, we still put together a few combinations that momentarily set a mood. A dun DUUUUUN! hinted at some sudden sinister surprise. A Ding Ding diiiing at melancholy wistfulness. A cheerful Ding Dong! that a visitor was waiting to be granted entry to the house. Could a complete novice and an uncoordinated infant really do the equivalent in painting? Of course there are arguments that they could, but I'm not convinced. It's not really a question solved with a single answer, but for me, based on these examples and my experience of music, painting is not as readily useful or accessible a medium in achieving these ends in this manner.

I have mentioned the issue of titling my paintings already, but would like to explain a little further as it seems to me to be the one nebulous, intangible aspect I sited as part of my enjoyment and has drawn questions. As I have asserted, the titles I select are not intended to add meaning. They are simply pleasing phrases I have encountered and chosen to attach, pretty much indiscriminately, to paintings. I have a long list. I make note as and when I come across things I like, saving them for future use. Some I like more than others, so those in greater favour are used more readily. Music inspires the majority of the titles I select and this is manifest in my highjacking of lyricist's poetry (if you can't beat 'em, 'appropriate' from 'em). For me the result is a pleasing association of two completely unassociated things.

Using and choosing lyrical phrases in this way may well lead people to assume there is rhyme or reason for such a selection, but like I say; there isn't. Of course lyrics are often acutely meaningful in context, but severed from verse, chorus and tune they can lose a great part of what they were and become something else. An isolated phrase open to interpretation or just a nice turn of phrase.

Then again, sometimes they are recognisable and I dont mind that. I don't claim them as my own, just borrow them for a while, and don't deny their source. It's not uncommon for one to hear a line from a catchy tune and be inspired to burst into song (indeed I have a colleague who struggles to resist the urge to belt out Spandau Ballet whenever he hears the word gold). I find it quite amusing that someone may spend the day with a pop song in their head because of some line I picked out.

Basically I like good music and good lyrics and I wish I could make my paintings do what a good song does. In the circumstances however, I can at least identify and use certain parts for no other reason than to assert my appreciation and enjoyment, which fits fairly comfotably with the point of my painting as it currently stands anyway.

I wanted to be your Superman, but I turned out such a jerk.