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Updates, events, & perspectives regarding the state of the arts.

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“Matters of the Heart” – Album Cover

By Michael DivineJune 19, 2021  •  Music

Bluetech's record label "Behind the Sky" just released "Matters of the Heart" - a beautiful compilation of music from my long time friend DJ Maggie and featuring my painting "The Birth of Venus" on the cover. It's available on Bandcamp both as a digital version and a beautiful double LP vinyl album.

From Bandcamp:

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Dreaming Awake Single Covers

By Michael DivineJune 9, 2021  •  Music

I've been licensing artwork to Treavor Moontribe of Desert Dwellers for use on the singles releases on his record label Dreaming Awake. We've been friends for many years and I've always had fun on dance floors he's playing at and have known him for years.

Below are a few.

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Eastern Sun: Integrate Album Cover

By Michael DivineApril 24, 2012  •  Music

Eastern Sun recently put out a new album cover featuring my painting "There Are No Loose Ends".

Here are some notes on the album from bandcamp"

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Desert Dwellers: CD Cover

By Michael DivineFebruary 2, 2012  •  Music

I "remixed" my painting, The Glass Onion, for Desert Dwellers' latest CD - a remix compilation of their album "DownTemple Dub" which I've listened to many times over while painting. I also created the packaging and design.

On DownTemple Dub: Remixed, World-class sound alchemists filter Desert Dwellers’ classic psy-chilled grooves through a kaleidoscope of midtempo breaks and ornately-textured ambience. Yoga dub meets ethno-electronic bass music on this genre-bending journey through realms of sonic bliss and dancefloor ecstasy.

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Main Stage Banners at High Sierra

By Michael DivineAugust 17, 2010  •  Events, Music

This past summer, on the 4th of July weekend, I was again at High Sierra Music Festival up in Quincy, CA. It's a beautiful area of California that reminds me a lot of Northern Vermont - rolling hills, farmlands, vast skies. It's just that the trees are twice as tall and the environs just a bit more permissible. In any case, I returned there again this year and brought with me some big banners for the main stage. The banners were each one half of the painting Birth of a Star (Link) and were printed on speaker mesh so that they wouldn't impede on the sound and so the wind could adequately blow through them. I was really stoked to be able to add to this really awesome festival. It's been going on for 21 years and has such a friendly open vibe and is a ton of fun. Some of the musical highlights included:
  • The Warren Haynes Band: I saw him play years ago with Gov't Mule. I was never much into the heavy southern rock thing of Gov't Mule but this band: it's smoking. With it's nod towards funk and soul and Warren's ripping guitar work, it was pretty quite stellar. Really: it cut right through me and was a phenomenal show.
  • Los Amigos Invisibles: Last I saw these guys was somewhere in Massachusetts about 10 years ago. I first became aware of them via their Arepa 3000 album which was produced by David Byrne (an estimable and respectable figure). They're non-stop funky wildness and were a perfect late afternoon fun time.
  • Scott Law and Materialized: I think I've heard of these guys. In any case: psychedelic electric funky jazz rock funk stuff. Good times!
  • Chris Robinson Band: I saw the Black Crowes for the first time the year before at High Sierra and they put on an incredibly soulful and heartfelt show. Chris' band follows in that with a bit more improvisation and a lot of love. It was raw, solid, and honest.
There was a whole lot of other music in there too, some of which was truly awesome. I love music and I love to dance and find that, in those rhythms and patterns, the high and lows, I can lose myself in it and find so much inspiration that is later expressed through my artwork. In any case, I'm grateful for a chance to play up in the mountains with such stellar company. I also want to extend my thanks and gratitude to Lisa Brown, ambiance crew coordinator, and Adam Roberts of Summit Art Licensing for helping to make this all happen. Really: truly grateful for your patience and willingness to move forwards and make it happen.

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Tony Khalife: Transcendence Album Cover

By Michael DivineJuly 20, 2007  •  Music

I was recently commissioned Tony Khalife to make a painting and create the packaging layout for his new album "Transcendence". Tony hails from Beirut, Lebanon and lives in Ojai, CA. His music is a mix of traditional forms, his childhood experiences, and modern melodies.

The album, written and composed by Tony Khalife features Tony on vocals, acoustic guitar, and drones. Joining him are a host of musicians including Celso Alberti on drums, Jon Ossman on bass, delruba, sitar, and backup bocals. Also are Mark Josephson on violin, Jamie Papish on davul, frame drum, and Daff, Marco Godyo on hammond organ, Alex Spurkle on dumbek and windrum, Dominic Dean Breaux on flute and sax, and Dann Torres on the oud.

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