“Look Ahead, Read Ahead, Use Your Head”
This painting, the second in my “Music Lessons” series, continues to draw its profound inspiration from Mrs. Hosoi, my children’s extraordinary violin teacher. While I never had the privilege of taking violin lessons myself, I’ve had the immense fortune of witnessing Mrs. Hosoi’s lessons firsthand, absorbing her wisdom as my children learn. Her core philosophy- “Look ahead, read ahead, and use your head”- has resonated deeply with me. It’s a principle that’s not just fundamental to mastering a musical instrument, but also universally applicable to any endeavor requiring precision, foresight, and deliberate execution. Look at your position, where is your hand and your instrument? Read the notes one measure ahead, and think about how you will connect your hand and music, as one journey through the entire musical passages.
For me, this lesson translates directly into the act of creation. Just as a musician anticipates the notes to come and interprets the score with intention, an artist builds a piece stroke by stroke. This painting is my attempt to illuminate that very process: how good art is made one brushstroke at a time, much like laying one brick at a time to construct something enduring. It’s about the conscious decision-making behind every mark, understanding how each individual element contributes to the overall composition.
My background in architecture is overtly expressed in this work through the deliberate choice of geometric structures. These aren’t merely decorative; they serve as the foundational framework, providing dimension and order to the canvas. The geometry acts as a visual metaphor for the planning and logical progression inherent in both architectural design and Mrs. Hosoi’s musical instruction. It gives the painting a sense of depth and intentionality, mirroring the carefully constructed beauty of a complex musical piece or a well-designed building. Through these structured forms, I aim to convey the elegance that emerges from thoughtful preparation and precise execution, making the unseen process of artistic creation tangible.
Date Created: 06 2025
Physical Dimensions: 36” X 48”(91.4cm X 122 cm)
Type: Painting
Medium: Acrylic, Acrylic Ink and Oil on canvas
Rights: ©Jeanyu Chen
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