So, I forgot to mention that for my birthday my dad bought me an accordion.
!!!!!
I'm a bit anxious to take lessons despite the fact that I feel awkward playing it; I really want to be able to play a few good songs on it, at the very least.
He said he's wanted to get me one for a few years after he noticed the majority of the music I listen to involved accordion usage, and I think I may have mentioned wanting to learn how to play one at some point.
Nevertheless, I took some photos! I don't have any of me playing it(lolol), but it's beautiful. It's a Hohner Arietta 1B- I'm not sure of accordion types and specifics yet(if I would have bought it myself I would have researched a bit more), but I'll find the rest out. I know there are like a billion different types of accordions, like the kinds with the typewriter-like keys on the side instead of the buttons. Those are pretty cool.
I perhaps should have taken some photos with the billows extended, maybe I'll do that when I get photos of me playing it.
:]
In other news, my love for the musical ensemble Beirut has been rekindled. Not that the flame ever went out in the first place, but I was able to find some of Zach Condon's earlier work from before he formed Beirut(even though, if I'm correct, most of the instruments heard in his album(and I'd imagine many other songs in Beirut), Gulag Orkestar, were actually played by Condon and then mixed).
His earlier work(from before he traveled around the Balkans at age 16) was more mellow and electronics oriented. I actually think he did most of his work with cheap computer software. It still included his voice, although in my opinion I don't think his voice suited the melody. It's still beautiful music though, extremely relaxing.
RealPeople holland(I could be mistaken, so don't hold me to this) was the name of his project before he formed Beirut. I think you can buy/download the March of the Zapotec/RealPeople holland EP. It's really great.
I also discovered "A Hawk and a Hacksaw" the other day, from looking up similar artists to Beirut. Just as amazing, and even more so a little bit due to the general lack of vocals. I have a soft spot for instrumental music I guess.
Well, I guess that's it. I've been doing more artsy stuff; I spent around $150 yesterday on acrylic paints and Bristol paper(OUCH), but $50 of that was spent on a decent-quality easel. I needed one in the worst way. It can hold pretty much any canvas up to maybe around 5' tall. It's pretty durable too, even comes with a carrying case. Haha!
I'm excited to get painting, but also not so much. I'm kind of awful when it comes to acrylic paint, I'd rather use oils or water-soluble 'oils', most probably because I'm a blending fiend.
I think I need to get some of that jelly-medium to make my acrylics more blendable. The name escapes me at the moment.
My drawing classes are going well though. I just wish I was taking more than two, and didn't have to write essays on the Battle of the Nile or what I want to do after college.
I can't wait to go to art school, actually.
And I also must add that Long Island(more specifically, where I live) will be getting around 12-15 inches of snow by tomorrow morning.
I will probably need to move someplace warmer in the near future. I found out that it is a fact that I hate the cold weather. Which contradicts moving to Canada in the future. Bahhhh.
Well, I guess that's it.
If you live around here, godspeed with this snow business.
Oof.
* the dark background in the photos was achieved using the brush>darken tool in Photoshop. Useful and effective, I'd say.