Visual Art

The first visual artwork that I can recall making me "feel something" wasn't all that Highbrow, it was the artwork of Derek Riggs as portrayed on the covers of Iron Maiden albums. I thought "Eddie" was fascinating to look at. Both terrifying and empowering, especially for a young kid:

If we are talking music:

I was ten years old, driving to the amusement park "Cedar Point" in Ohio with my friend Tim and his family. Tim's brother, being all of 13, was in charge of the music. He put in the mixed tape he had made, the first song on it was "Revolution" by the Beatles. The moment that fuzzy guitar lick started I was captured, the old me was gone, I would never be the same again. I immediately asked, "What is that sound"? Tim's older brother looked at me like I was insane and in a tone that suggested I had asked the dumbest question ever said, "Distortion".

Distortion, often the aggressor, sometimes the wooer and almost always the life of the party. It takes on many forms and can effect any instrument or voice.

This moment was two things: 1. My first time consciously loving a Beatles song and 2. The first time I realized that a specific sound could affect me so deeply.

As for sculpture:

I grew up playing music, writing poetry, drawing and painting but I never even dabbled with sculpture. This could be because my brother created a sculpture that will forever reign supreme in our family. Every christmas my mother brings his scupture out to adorn our holiday hearth. He made it when he was just a boy. It's appropriately titled, "Snowman With Nipples"