Canvas: Art, Music, Cause

It's my first blog of the year and I'm so glad that I get to kick it off by talking about Canvas: Art for the Watchers, Music for the Listeners and a Cause for the Givers which was hosted on January 16 by a very good friend and talented artist, Arnold Randall. By blending music, culture, art and a humanitarian effort all into one, Canvas had a little something for the art lover in all of us. The exhibit also showcased that when combined for a higher power, music and art together are a force to be reckoned with.

Of course, the night kicked off with music by our very own Cliffnotes while patrons walked around the exhibit taking in Randall's fascinating images that reflected on war, music, cultural moreways, beauty and the romance and intricacy of the human spirit. As people walked around

chatting and catching up with old friends not seen for awhile, you could hear the definitive pause in their speech when the eye caught a glimpse of a piece of art that demanded full attention. Or the noticeable bobbing of the head when the ear picked up on the beats from Cliffnotes. Randall's art is amazing, it's edgy and clever and the response it draws from people was always the same. Take the piece "Casual Tee of War." I don't know how many people drifted to this piece first, drawn in by the bright gold shell casings that outlined a young soldier wearing a shirt that boasted "Casual Tee of War." The boldness of this piece always drew people in who uttered audible gasps of "ahh this is dope" or "cool play on words." Another piece that captured attention (although I might be bias because it is my favorite piece) was the image of a young man wearing headphones setagainst a blue stardust-esque background. The cool thing about this piece is not only it's celebration of music, but the fact that you almost feel like you've stepped in on private solitary moment between a man and his music. We all definitely know what it is like to have that moment with a certain song or album and when someone breaks that peace, it's hard to capture that feeling twice. This is probably why I'm in the process of acquiring this piece for my own private collection ;)

Another one of the night's profound moments was the performance by singer-songwriter Will Hawkins, who performed songs off of his EP " The (Re)discovery EP Preview." Hawkins drew cheers and love from the exhibit crowd as he soulfully performed "She Believes" "Trouble" and "Want You Bad." The performance was the perfect compliment to Randall's work as he sang about faith, the fear and exhiliration of love found and lost and the delicacy of life's perfect moments. I'm sure Will Hawkins garnered a few more fans that night and he is definitely on heavy rotation on my iPod right now. I can't wait to hear more from him and was so glad to hear him at the exhibit.

With the proceeds of a silent auction going to Speak Child, an organization that helps develop critical thinking skills and basic reading competency in youth through reading and creative writing programs, Canvas literally had it all. I'm so proud of Arnold and definitely can't wait to see what else he has in store for this year. A major shoutout to my family over at AG One who represented that night and were there to support Arnold. A marriage of creativity and humanity, if this is how 2010 kicks off, then this is going to be quite a year. Good night folks!

The Canvas Album may be downloaded free here.