Kalimba Beat by Marcella Hayes Muhammad

Marcella Hayes Muhammad

Kalimba Beat

Oil On Canvas

24 x 30 x 1.5 in

$1,500

Available

Location: Maruva DQ Studio

This painting was inspired after listening to an electric Kalimba concert at a local café. The musician incorporated other sounds with his instrument and I felt the cultural sounds swirling in the music. This painting is a reflection on that experience. The legacy of music and creative arts is rendered in this Plastic Space abstraction highlighting the importance of music to the relationship of other cultural arts like sculpture, textiles, and science swirling together into a moving breathing entity. I had already done a lot of research on ancient African musical instruments to gather images that work within my musical paintings. By sketching out the idea with graphite on paper, I work the design until it has balance and interest. Sometimes this process can take weeks or months until I feel ready to paint. Then I transfer it to canvas where I begin to add color with oils. This is the challenging part and often it takes a life of it's own and can go beyond the original sketch. This process takes time and concentration to complete and can last weeks, months, or in some cases, years. The final product can be a rewarding surprise. The green leaves are an element that called for extra color for balance and was not in the sketch is such an example.