Art/Writing collaboration

The combination of art and text can have a dramatic impression on viewers. We enjoy creating our own stories to the art we see or text we read, but sometimes, as an artist, the combination can bring new life to a piece. The text and art were inspired by Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary.

This featured selection includes the text from one of my songs called My Pennance. It wasn't until my text it was combined with the piece by Kristen Solecki that I really began to understand some of the hidden details of what I had written. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

Farewell summer video

It has been too long since my last post; partially because I have been enjoying my summer to the full extent. With that enjoyment has come some work as you can see below. I spent some time recording the infamous 'Everyday' by the ever so missed Buddy Holly. Kristen Solecki (www.kristensolecki.com) was the idea force behind the video and direction.

Please enjoy my interpretation of Everyday, written by Buddy Holly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AM0L2bgTBI

Published in Origivation Magazine

Philadelphia's Origivation Magazine published one of my flash fiction pieces in their June 2011 edition. The story, A Sharp Smile, is about a Philadelphia rock band. The band is on tour in Illinois when they experience a problem with their bus. Their seemingly small problem soon escalates as two new characters are introduced into this short suspensful read.

To read the entire story please visit: http://www.origivation.com/features/june2011/bitter.php

Feel free to post any thoughts or comments below as to the outcome of the story.

Sweet & Shadowed Friends

I have recently finished a story that has been submitted to the Brooklyn Art Library's Fiction Project. Beginning in June, my handwritten story will travel across the U.S. among many other stories from other independent writers. Each Moleskine book can be checked out and read at the tour's current location.

For a list of tour dates please visit: http://www.arthousecoop.com/sketchbookproject2011

The cover spread and the first two pages of this story can be found at http://timlevanmiller.com/writings. All illustrations were done by Philadelphia artist, Kristen Solecki. The synopsis of Sweet & Shadowed Friends is as follows:

Hi, I'm Bill. This is a story about my attempts at a girl named Anna, two friends, and the changes the four of us faced as high school students.

If you live near one of the tour stops, feel free to stop by and browse through the touring selection. I will soon upload the story so it can be read electronically.

'My Penance' acoustic demo is now available

I have finally finished the music to my previous lyrical post, My Penance. An acoustic demo of the song is now available at www.myspace.com/timlevanmiller. Feel free to listen while re-reading the lyrics on my previous post.

The song was inspired by a recent visit to Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary. I was filled with different emotions after seeing the inside of the prison and hearing the various stories about the prison's history. My Penance is meant to be somber and reflective, mimicking the early visions the Eastern State Penitentiary architects had for their facility. The word Penitentiary was first used with Eastern State having been derived from the word Penance meaning 'one's feeling of remorse for one's wrongdoings.' I have tried to translate this emotional side of the word Penance with some of Eastern State's specific history into my song.

Enjoy.

My Penance

I recently visited Eastern State Penitentiary. It was a dark and mysterious place that sparked some different ideas and emotions within me. Below are the lyrics to a song that has developed from this first visit.

My Penance
-Tim LeVan Miller

A stone face structure
Vowed to end
A battled humanity
Full of sin.
Lonely men
Wasting days
Fulfilling
Their Punishment.
One hundred of them
Tried to escape.
Mr. Leo Callahan
The one to be free.
Now he's up all night
Setting fire
To strong persecutions
As he cries.

My Penance
My Resentments
My Patience
Has been tried.
My Penance
My Resentments
My Resentments
Have Died.

We fight the battles
Some wage war
Freeing society
From the dangerous sort.
But to kill a man
When presumption stands
Is a foretaste of victory
For the Damned.

My Penance
My Resentments
My Patience
Has been tried.
My Penance
My Resentments
My Resentments
Have Died.

We all are in the midst of war.

God Wouldn't Let Me Die To This Song

An acclaimed artist once stated that while driving in bad weather, she would only listen to bad pop radio. Her thought was 'God wouldn't let me die to this song.' Below is my interpretation of this statement:

I start to drive with the sun in my eyes
Up ahead tail lights swerve
Horns scream and fingers fly
My profane self has been exposed.
Wipers peel rain from my sight
Bring on the snow and ice.
I keep the terrible pop music cranked.
God wouldn't let me die to this song.

Philly Art Clash 2011

Here is a picture of my handmade poetry book 'I've jumped from many places' at Philadelphia's 2011 Art Clash.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support local artists. We really appreciate seeing people browse through our work.

I've listed a few more poems below that were featured in this project.







01.10.2011
Pizza and Rootbeer Floats

Pizza and rootbeer floats.
What more could be desired?
Express your love through simple things
And love your life becomes.
Face the world and face your fears.
Sometimes you may be wrong.
But live your life through simple things.
And the stronger you'll become.



01.27.11
Snow

Open your mouth
Ye clouds of hate.
Relinquish a spell
That angers fate
The gradual descent
Of the snow you dropped
Has caused me, my car
And my life to stop.



01.29.11
Strong Whiskey Bourbon

Shots all around
Jameson on the house.
You fellas played like hell.
Thanks for coming out.
Now tip these glasses up
Enjoy the quick favor,
As we drink down
Strong Whiskey Bourbon flavors.



01.31.2011
Kind Regards

A day alone
I breathe stale air.
Stuck against time,
Work is succeeding.
Phones ring around,
I answer with care
And pause to elaborate;
Thank you for reading.

7th Annual Philly Fun-a-Day

I am excited to be participating in Philadelphia's 7th annual Philly Fun-a-Day. This is a project where artists create one piece a day, each day during January. These projects will then be on display at Studio 34 in Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday, February 11th and 12th from 7-11pm.

My project consists of an 8-line poem per day. Each poem is based off of events/people/emotions from the specific day. Below are a few poems as a sample of my project:


01.04.2011
Hello Mr. Honu

Hello Mr. Honu,
How relaxed you are.
You float through the sand
And are instantly a star.
You contemplate life
Without worrying what to do.
Hello Mr. Honu,
I think I'll live like you.


01.09.2011
Kill Quick Ghost

You quickly find yourself
Without the others ever knowing.
And manage to unpack your baggage
As small as it may be.
You've shared your life and new experiences
With the people you love most.
Being honest with your family
Will scare off any Kill Quick Ghost.


01.17.2011
Recognition

You wrote me
Expressing interest.
You're a big name
We've respected.
I called you
Explaining interest.
You recognize
Our need, our life.