Heart Shaped Box
by Omaste Witkowski
Title
Heart Shaped Box
Artist
Omaste Witkowski
Medium
Painting - Digital Reflection Painting
Description
I see a heart shaped box in the center of the picture. The bright orange and vivid color combinations are enough to really capture the imagination. Look closely into the blue to see some amazing textures and a special image hidden deep.
""Heart-Shaped Box" is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. The song was released as the first single from the group's third and final studio album, In Utero, in 1993. It was one of two songs from the album mixed by Scott Litt in order to augment the original production by producer Steve Albini. While Nirvana's label DGC Records did not release a physical single for sale in the United States, "Heart-Shaped Box" received much American radio airplay, reaching number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The international release of the single reached number five on the UK Singles Chart. The song's music video, directed by Anton Corbijn, garnered critical plaudits.
Kurt Cobain wrote "Heart-Shaped Box" in early 1992.[1] Cobain forgot about the song for a while, but began working on it again when he and his wife, Courtney Love, moved to a house in the Hollywood Hills.[2] In a 1994 Rolling Stone interview, Love said she overheard him working on the song's riff in a closet. She said she asked him if she could use the riff for one of her songs, to which he replied, "Fuck off!" and closed the closet door. "He was trying to be so sneaky", said Love. "I could hear that one from downstairs."[3] The couple shared a journal in which they would write lyrics; Cobain biographer Charles R. Cross noted that Love's songwriting sensibility informed Cobain's on the song.[4] The song's name came from a heart-shaped box Love had given Cobain. However, Cobain had originally titled the song "Heart-Shaped Coffin".[4]
Nirvana had difficulty completing the song. Cobain attempted to have the rest of the band complete the song during jam sessions. He said, "During those practices, I was trying to wait for Krist and Dave to come up with something but it just turned into noise all the time." One day Cobain made one last attempt at completing the song. Cobain was able to come up with a vocal melody and the band finally finished writing the song. Cobain said that when they completed "Heart-Shaped Box", "We finally realized that it was a good song."[5]
In January 1993, the band recorded a demo of "Heart-Shaped Box" during sessions with Craig Montgomery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; it was the first song recorded.[6] The In Utero version was recorded in February 1993 by Steve Albini in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Prior to the album's release, the track was remixed by Scott Litt. Cobain was unapologetic about the band's decision to remix it, and maintained that the vocals and bass were not prominent enough in the original mixes. Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic was also unhappy with the original mix of "Heart-Shaped Box". In a 1993 Chicago Sun-Times interview, he said the original effect used on the song's guitar solo sounded "like a fucking abortion hitting the floor." When the song was remixed by Litt, Cobain took the opportunity to add acoustic guitar and backing harmonies." - Wikipedia
This painting started out as a picture of handblown glass created by Garth Mudge of Glassworks in Winthrop Wa. Glassworks is located downtown in the beautiful Methow Valley in Okanogan County.
I painted and reflected the original image into a whole new image. I am retaining as much of the original textures as possible. I am using only the colors that originated in the picture when it was a photograph. I am using these colors as a starting point for the picture. Then I choose which textures to use to complement the colors. Then I start painting and when I have painted to my hearts content I create a new layer, reverse it and overlay it onto the original image. I call this a Reflection.
I am really enjoying using the photographs I have taken over the years as starting points for new individual artworks. I lover the tools that are available to help us create ever new and changing art works. A Wacom tablet and Photoshop software have opened up a whole new world of creative options for me
Uploaded
March 20th, 2013
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Viewed 2,770 Times - Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 03/29/2024 at 2:49 AM
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Comments (7)
Lingfai Leung
I see two seals, two cats and two humans. I like the abstract work. Everything you see is based on your cognitive imagination. v.for the creative work
Elizabeth McTaggart
Love this one too, Omaste! I really love the connection you made with the song! When I first saw the title ` the song started right up on "the head-stereo" :) v/f/DF pick in Digital Veil Group
Omaste Witkowski replied:
I lived in Seattle 1989-1996 and was such a huge Nirvana fan. It was the first thing I thought of when I finished this piece. I am really glad you like it :-)