Rise and Shine!
Okay, so if I say the word “diner,” do you know what I’m talking about? If not, go here and/or here.
And now: back to Joni-Fest. If you were to draw a family tree for the musical heritage of any of today’s singer/songwriters, the trunk would inevitably be labelled “Joni.” No joke. One of the most powerful aspects of her legacy is the layers that are in her songs – layers of metaphor and imagery in the lyrics, and layer upon layer of sound in the music. She is the only artist whom I have never pressed “Fast Forward” on when she comes on the shuffle in my playlists – after several decades of (near obsessive) listening, there is always more to hear. Check it:
Steps:
1. Outer Space
- materials
- remove or turn off distractions
- clear workspace
2. Inner Space
- body relaxed but aware (this takes a little time)
- connect to breath (so does this)
- clear head
3. This is an interpretive drawing.
Draw yourself, Ivan Brunetti-style, as a waitress in a diner.
What are you doing?
What are you saying?
What are you thinking?
You have three minutes – go!
4. Look at your image – did you follow the criteria?
5. Title: Joni Mitchell – “Barangrill”
6. Date it.
7. Email it to me today, or save it to send on Friday.
Now, how can you set yourself up for a successful, productive day?
If you’re interested, there’s more info about “Barangrill” here – which is from the album For the Roses. Fun fact: the photo on the cover of the album was taken at Joni’s home in Halfmoon Bay, which is over on the Sunshine Coast. Don’t you wish you could write “Halfmoon Bay” as your address?
For the Roses was mainly about Joni’s increasingly ambivalent relationship to fame. If you want to get blown away by her guitar work, her use of consonants to create images, and her ability to seemingly bend time in a song, take a trip over here. In my opinion, the misty quality of the archival footage adds a whole other layer; it kind of makes this like being sung to by a ghost…
See you at 10:00!
PS: “Joni Mitchell.” Is it working, yet?