Dona Simons

Lives and works in New Orleans, LA, USA

Artist statement

Slide On the Edge: Reciprocal Inspiration Series Statement This series of oil paintings involves reciprocal inspiration. Many paintings have been inspired by musical compositions and vice versa. In this case, my paintings are inspired by an entire body of work and the unique musician who writes and performs it. After having completed 20 or so paintings focused on him, I told Sonny Landreth that he was a great source of inspiration to me. He replied, “It works both ways.” The first time I saw Sonny Landreth play guitar, I knew I had never heard anything like him. While before then, I believed inspiration to be some vague thing, he clearly defined it for me. In that revelatory moment, I was transported to a sonic universe created by a near human voice of glass sliding over vibrating steel strings. I came away compelled to visually express the transformation I experienced. In discovering this one subject, I found a world. I’ve observed dozens of concert performances by Landreth over many years. While painting this series, I listen to his original songs. I invoke his presence in my mind like a séance of the living. I begin with a one-color underpainting on canvas then choreograph the light, shadow and composition in many brilliant, mostly translucent, layers of color. Becoming more highly detailed, the work changes dramatically as it progresses. Each painting spontaneously develops its own life. Evolving over time, I paint the persona more than the person, the performance...

Artwork