I began painting Sound Waves about 2 years ago when a friend, Allie, came to me and asked if it was something I could do as an anniversary gift for her hubby.
I LOVE a good challenge so I happily accepted.
It wasn’t easy. It required a lot of trial and error to figure out how to perfect this. How on earth do I record a sound wave? I am not musically inclined – my mom always said, “We paid for art lessons not music lessons.” lol
Little did I know that this one sound wave painting would transform my business and become one of my main creation streams.
Here is my very first one – the one where it all began:
Since this first one, I have elevated my process, I even purchased a fancy mic and made a mini recording studio (aka a sound proof box lol) and I’ve fine tuned my painting and framing techniques.
I have painted over 50 of these since AND I still surprise myself, when I put the finishing touches on and stand back to look at the finished work. Each and every one tells a story – your story. I hide meaning and weave stories into each one.
Let’s take a peek at my top 10 most favourite Sound Wave Paintings (I originally had top 5 and it was too hard to narrow down. Lol)
10. Seascapes
Technically, my number 10 is three paintings but I love painting these seascapes into sound wave paintings. Sound wave paintings make amazing gifts for birthdays and anniversaries – especially if it’s your better half and you get to enjoy it too!
9. Two songs in one painting
This first painting is a Tool song that when it’s played at the exact same time as two other Tool songs it makes one song. I painted the blue soundwave first and then layered a the second song on top with gold.
The painting below was a different layout. It’s one half of a meaningful song on the top and the other on the bottom. This couple had very specific colour palette requests – including absolutely no yellow in their sunset and they wanted the colours of their wedding, corals and orange and dark blues and silver. Their added request was to include a cat. If you look closely, there is a cat silhouette sitting on a dock.
8. Intuition meets story telling.
This family loves hikes through forest and they have 3 beautiful children that they adore.
For this sound wave painting, the trees are grouped in 5 in the middle to represent their entire family. And then groups of 3 on each side also representing their children.
As I was working on the background, I added in hints of three mountains as well. It just felt right. Then when the person showed up to pick up their painting, I was explaining all the hidden elements (it is still abstract after all) and she said, “We’re from out west! So the mountains are perfect.”
I love telling your story through art. This is why I ask for all those extra details – little and small – colours, feelings, stories – it all helps me. I’ll find a way to work them all in.
7. A baby’s heart beat.
How beautiful and rhythmic is this? Life is so beautiful.
6. A voice recording from a card to honour a loved one who passed away.
This was one of those “tug at your heart strings” paintings. I cried while making this one quite a bit. And when I gave it to the person, I cried even more.
A friend lost her sister to Covid. She wanted to give her mom a sound wave painting with recording from the inside of one of those recordable greeting cards from her sister to her mom. I also recreated her sister’s signature – a simple yet powerful reminder… ‘Love Jill’
Her sister loved daisies and purple. This is what I felt I should paint to capture this really important piece of meaningful art.
5: A voice message to a daughter from her mom.
I was moved to tears creating this sound wave painting.
I was asked by a daughter to paint a sound wave of a voice message from her mom who passed away. I’m starting to tear up again as I write this.
This painting was so important to get right because it holds so much memory and meaning.
She told me that her mom loved birch, moss, driftwood, and cardinals. I used all of this as inspiration for the colour palette for this abstract piece. I listened to her voice as I recorded the sound wave.
Some say that when you see a cardinal in your yard it’s a visitor from heaven. So I really wanted to create an abstract forest where you could see the cardinals everywhere but nowhere specific. I did this in hopes that she would feel the same way about it when looking at the painting… she’s all around… everywhere you look.
Note: I edited out the words in the message from her mom because to me that’s personal between them.
This was something special. I felt so honoured that I was given the opportunity to capture this special message for her through art. ❤️
4. Pretty Colours
These ones are just the most beautiful colours and textures – honestly, every colour palette you choose, is perfect!
3. Home is wherever I am with you.
Not only is this song AMAZING, I was asked to pull the colours from this couple’s wedding bouquet and they’re beautiful together.
2. You’ll Never Walk Alone – the Liverpool Football Club’s anthem
If you know. You know. Have you ever watched a video of this song being played at one of their games? Just wow.
To honour their football club, I hid a camouflaged Liver bird in the painting that you can only see at certain angles.
I have painted two of these now and while they are both similar they are unique and different.
1. Sound wave paintings that match my leggings.
Lol – I kid. This was a total fluke but I loved it nonetheless. This is back to my very first sound wave painting. The one that started it all. Look at all the feels, we’ve created since then. Without this one, I wouldn’t be able to make the meaningful and unique art that I do.
Do you want your very own sound wave painting? Head on over to my Sound Wave Painting page and place your deposit today. Or send me an email to connect and we can bring your memories and milestones to life through art.
I can’t wait to paint something beautiful and meaningful for you!
– Kel
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