Doing requests can be difficult. I feel somewhat pressurized as to what people who request me to paint to certain songs expect to see. So, listening to Pearl Jam last week my head was far too clouded with this. What I started to do was far too constrained and thought out. I was listening to the lyrics too much…had both faceless and flying men in there at one stage. I left it at a yellow/orange slop after about 40 minutes.

I attacked that song again this evening, taking up where I left off without caring if I destroyed what I already created. Now I think it looks amazing and is way more reflective of Pearl Jam’s Given to Fly (listen below). There are bold strokes there, heavy on the paint, blue, wave-like forms with a central character and the light tones from last week’s mess shine through like they were always meant to look great. (They didn’t last week, I’m telling you, it was muck)

I hope the person who requested it likes it!