Lael Neale, Reed Mathis, Trevor Garrod and Cochrane McMillan
Last month, I had the opportunity to paint folk singer Nathan Moore live in concert at Ashkenaz in Berkeley, thanks to the efforts of concert producer Greg Keidan. Nathan is a particular favorite of mine, so this was a great honor. It was also a relatively new experience for me in that, with the exception of sketching at a few fashion events, I usually paint in the privacy of my own studio. You’ll see the finished version of the resulting painting of Nathan soon. A delightful bonus for me was the opening act, comprised of Lael Neale, an up-and-coming Bay Area singer/songwriter, along with Trevor Garrod and Reed Mathis of Tea Leaf Green, with Cochrane McMillan on drums.
When I heard that Lael would be opening the show, my anticipation for the evening grew. The San Francisco-based, Virginia-raised songstress possesses the voice and the appearance of an angel, and I knew she would be fun to paint. She and her talented companions didn’t let us down. They provided a beautiful, energy-building opening for Nathan, and I contentedly danced along, splashing paint around while I filled in the rough strokes that would eventually make up this painting.
Nicki Bluhm: One tall, cool glass of water
I recently had the pleasure of witnessing Nicki Bluhm perform with her Gramblers at the High Sierra Music Festival. This woman has a winning vocal presence and an exemplary personal style to match. Her clear-as-a-bell voice won the hearts of her eager audience as she swung through a variety of sweetly rockin’ tunes, occasionally sharing the mic with her hubby Tim Bluhm, one of her Gramblers as well as lead singer for the well-loved San Francisco-based rock outfit The Mother Hips. Oft compared to inestimable songstresses such as Bonnie Raitt and Joni Mitchell, Nicki has a warm, clear voice that breathes ingenuousness. With it, she smoothly traverses the pathways between folk, classic pop, and country rock.
Channeling the bohemian 1970s in a big way, Nicki rocked a pair of high-waisted bellbottom jeans and cropped vest in an appearance on the Big Meadow Stage. We know that not everybody can pull off the high-waisted jean look–in fact, next to nobody can– but Nicki is one tall, cool glass of water, and she owned it in her sweet, unassuming way. Elsewhere throughout the festival, she continued to betray a deep and abiding passion for late 70s vintage style, from a peasant halter dress to her layered shag haircut. Yves Saint Laurent would be proud.
The key to pulling off vintage or retro style is ensuring that the clothes do not wear you, and Nicki’s got that all sorted out. It doesn’t hurt that she’s a talented chanteuse with a doe-eyed, slightly androgynous beauty that shines out from beneath those dark bangs. As her song proclaims, she aims to Keep it Loose–and she does so with an easy, fluid grace.
Rebecca, June 2009
A quick watercolor sketch of an exquisitely talented friend and ally — distinctive photographer, fabulous mother, and fellow-traveler on the endless search for artistic inspiration.
