Grandparents, Guitars, Karl, and Eddie

Here are 12 guitars and one banjo.  Why?  At my school, The Westfield School, in Perry, Georgia, we have a yearly Grandparents' Day program in March.  Grandparents' Day is a program for the parents and grandparents.  Kids from age 4 thru 5th Grade perform song and dance routines.  Many hours of work go into the yearly event.

 

The 5th Grade class chose the song "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynard Skynyrd for their routine.  As the art teacher, I attempt to do an art activity that goes along with each song.  The 5th Graders were using guitars in their performance.  So, we decided to do art with guitars.  I looked around and found this guy named Karl Haglund.  He does really cool guitars.  Have a look Karl Haglund Art.  Once the kids got the guitars painted, I suggested they write the lyrics to the song Sweet Home Alabama on their painting.  Also, I provided examples of Karl's awesome guitars.  The results were pretty cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kid below can wear out a banjo.  He really wanted to paint a banjo.  Of course I said, "Have at it!"

 

 

 

Karl Haglund BIO:

 

I like to paint. My mother studied art in Sweden where she is from. I studied anthropology in the US where I am from. I learned a bunch about art from my mother. In turn, I taught her about monkeys.

 

ARTIST  STATEMENT:

(Relative to the guitar series)

 

While pursuing my undergraduate degree in Anthropology I gained an appreciation for the tools that humans use to enhance their lives. The tools we use will outlive us all. Coupling that idea with my love for music, I began painting guitars and telling their stories. In a sense, I am treating the guitars as artifacts. These guitars will live on, well beyond their players.

 

I am inspired by guitars that physically show the wear and tear of their existence on stage and studio. Worn-down wood, chipped/cracked binding and rusted metal, White pickguards and accessories - yellowed by age and sweat and cracked headstocks. More appealing to me, the stickers and scratches placed purposefully by the guitarist or the modifications they have done to the guitar. Long before the actual sound is heard, there exists an instrument that has been the focus of much thought by the musician. This interests me to no end.

 

Many painters have made musical instruments the focus of their work and many writers have written about instruments. My work is unique in its focus on those two artistic elements being combined into one.

 

The paintings are large enough that the guitar in the painting is very close to the actual size of the instrument - in most cases. I then study as much of the information as I can find and try to tell the story of the guitar and musician as accurately as possible. Often I will study the info for an hour and then sit down and scribble as much as I can remember, like a written exam in school. My goal is to make it as coherent as possible, while also trying not to disrupt the flow by looking at notes. 

Here's Karl's work.  I love it!

 

Here's Eddie's work.  I love it, too.

 

1965