Yuriy Shevchuk’s artwork is wonderful; modern art so full of charm, sophistication and style blended with a delightful harmony of color.
Among his excellent gallery of oil, watercolor and pastel artwork are numerous Miles Davis paintings (two posted above). There’s actually a large number of lovely, jazz-inspired paintings to enjoy, but for our All Things Miles Davis purposes we’ll just focus on the Prince of Darkness. I recently caught up with Yuriy, currently living in Prague (how nice!), to chat about his work and painting Miles Davis.
Miles Davis Online: Why Miles Davis? What about the jazz legend makes you want to feature him as a subject for your artwork?
Yuriy Shevchuk: His detailed ways of expressing his music, by making a very strong tension out of every note played, are very similar to the ways I paint. His melodies come into my head as colors and shapes, which I illustrate with my water colors and oil. To me his smooth jazzy sound is an inspiration itself.
Only a few seconds of listening to “Time after Time” gets me to ecstasy, it jumps up my heart, and I just feel I have to express these feelings. So I take my brush and I draw something I feel the song represents. I imagine what the musician is probably thinking while singing something that makes people like me feel so filled up with life.
Miles Davis Online: Do you think jazz artists make great subjects to paint?
Yuriy Shevchuk: Jazz music is very smooth and full of happiness and life. A good painting must be full of life. It doesn’t necessarily have to be optimistic but it definitely has to make me feel as a person so I can paint something that another person would like. The great level of some jazz musicians’ feeling of the music also makes it easier for other artists to work with their piece… and something in a quite different direction as for me is painting.
Miles Davis Online: What are you working on now? Anymore Miles Davis paintings in the future?
Yuriy Shevchuk: Yes, I will continuously be adding more art with jazz & rock stars into my collection, including Miles Davis, but I’ve been busy from drawing jazz with other commissioned artworks.
Miles Davis Online: Favorite Miles Davis album?
Yuriy Shevchuk: “Time after Time” and “Human Nature” from 1989 in Paris, featuring Kenny Garret.
Artwork is © Yuriy Shevchuk
Artwork availabe for purchase at “www.shevchukart.com” , imagekind, fine art america and “www.redbubble.com”
June 12, 2009 | Filed Under Art, Media