“Ted Kamp is an extremely bright, philosophical guy with strong lyrical and storytelling skills. He was interested in a late ’70s aesthetic with a slight overtone of psychedelic influence while still remaining somewhat conservative. (continued...)
WHERE
Anderson’s latest creation is a decorated
guitar for Ted Kamp, the bass playing virtuoso
with Shooter Jennings’ (son of Waylon)
band as well as a successful solo singer
in his own right. To fashion her look for
Kamp and other musicians, Anderson meets with the artists to
ascertain their opinions on what they want their guitars to “say”
about them and their work. But Anderson seeks the unorthodox
answer, asking questions that set them on their heels and elicit more revealing insights
. “I ask them lots of offbeat questions
about themselves so I can get a feel for what they want the instrument
to reveal about themselves onstage and off. You see, the
instrument a musician chooses says much about his or her personality
just as the cars we choose can say a lot about ourselves—you
know, it’s like ‘Pimp my mandolin, please.’ But my creations are
designed to illuminate in the coolest way imaginable a dimension
of the artist apart from their musical genre or musical skills. The
artist’s music does the rest.”
(continued...) "I designed this out of crushed velvet, metal studs, carpet tacks, and glitter thread with asian coins and rhinestones as accents. It is a loose representation of Yin/Yang..." says Anderson.
WHEN
When musicians decide they want a customized guitar, their
motives vary widely. Some merely want an accessory for photo
shoots, like a cool pair of cowboy boots. Others just want an art
piece. Still others intend to play the instrument onstage. Does any
of this affect the sound? “No guitar is alike,” says Anderson, “but
bass guitars are especially easy to deal with because there’s not too
much you can do to them that can affect their sound.” How the
musician handles the instrument is important, however: “I consider
where the most finger/hand activity is concentrated—you
have to make these areas very player friendly.”
WHY
Anderson’s motivation for this kind of work is clear: She loves
music and it inspires her. “Music spawns visual art, visual art
spawns music. I could go on about how the two are so beautifully
entwined, but I won’t bore you. I simply believe that the relationship
between music and visual art is an area with infinite potential
for creative exploration. Of all my work, it is the projects that have
to do with music—such as CD packaging and decorating instruments
—that make me the happiest. It is where I draw my greatest
inspiration. If you ‘click’ with a musician, you’re in an almost
Zen-like state while working on his instrument, where the design
seems to flow from your fingertips without conscious thought. It
just feels right.”
JAMI ANDERSON | www.jamidesign.com | 615.480.5347
To read Anderson's questions and Kamp's answers, simply click here
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