Music inspires KP artist’s own art form

Marsha Hart, KP News

It’s the essence of the show, the energy of a performance that moves her to create. Once a landscape artist, Key Peninsula resident Tweed Meyer has evolved. She calls herself a documenter, capturing moments in time before it all changes.

“My mother is 82 and I live with her, and mom and dad were dancers and artists, and I know a lot of musicians,” Meyer said. “I’ve gotten a lot of opportunities to sketch poets and musicians.”

For the past 10 years she’s been painting live performances, capturing the spirit of the shows. It really started to come together when Meyer began sketching and painting at Friends of the Holidays at the Swiss in Tacoma.

“I kind of dance into existence, catch the movement and the feel of the band and its music, and that has evolved out of being a plein-air painter,” she said.

Her degree in art is from the Northwest College of Art in Poulsbo. She said after years of school, years of painting and technique, she gets to turn it all off and just be present with the music.

Though she still considers herself an artist who documents the simplicity of small town, farmland and landscapes around the Key Peninsula, she took her style of painting live to a new level when she began sketching live musical performances.

She has become a regular part of the Words and Music house concerts on the Key Peninsula.

In July she traveled to Portland for a blues festival, and has also become a part of the Jazz Port Townsend Festival. She did live paintings of jazz musicians July 29 and 30 in the McCurdy Pavilion.

Last year Meyer attended the Centrum Jazz Port Townsend Festival on an informal level, and sketched and painted in the clubs. Legendary jazz photographer Ron Hudson, who documented the festival for more than 30 years, was there. He passed away in February.

“I feel good knowing I am following in his footsteps, and that is what I do is document,” she said.

Gregg Miller, program manager for Jazz Port Townsend said Meyer is a good fit.

“She had been here unofficially, doing spontaneous drawings in the clubs,” he said. “I like the idea that jazz is spontaneous music inspiring another spontaneous art form.”

By working live, Meyer said it gives those in attendance a chance to watch art in action.

“I’m excited to be out to show people what it is to be a painter,” she said. “Not many see the process. I show the process of painting.”

Being part of the jazz festival was an exciting and humbling experience.

“I’m excited for this opportunity,” she said.

Her exhibit of work was called Music in Motion.

“That’s jazz, and for me that is what is most important, that I caught the energy. I take all my materials and get to play, the subconscious fills in the blanks.”

For more information on Tweed Meyer, visit www.tweedmeyer.com.