Synesthesia
The Music Inspired Portraits and Mindscapes of Lennie Peterson
Synesthesia is a condition where any one of the 5 senses “co-activates” with another of the 5 senses. For instance, seeing color or shapes when you hear certain music (think Kandinsky), or being able to visualize a memory or a touch when you smell a certain smell.
Peterson says, “Each compositional element of my portraits serves a distinct purpose. I draw half of my subject’s face, symbolizing my belief that we can only know a part of the make up of such great musical minds. The color selected for the background represents the composer’s essence or nature, and the geometric shapes represent musical structure.”
The original work is 6 feet high x 3 feet wide on paper or canvas with all details hand-drawn in pen, brush, ink, and oils. “The art is improvised and spontaneous once a basic outline is established. It is similar to a jazz musician able to improvise freely and spontaneously within a given form and framework of chord structures.”
Lennie Peterson has traveled the world several times dedicating his life to visual art, music, and Arts education. He has performed with some of the most renowned orchestras in prestigious concert halls such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Australia’s Sydney Opera House, London’s Barbican Center, and The Vatican.
Lennie’s award-winning artwork has been purchased throughout the world and featured in exhibitions around the United States including solo exhibitions at Harvard University, The Boston Convention Center, and in New York City and Los Angeles. His composer portraits are included in art collections in Japan, Wales, Argentina, Switzerland, and throughout the United States.
