The head painting on the mantle - anyone know?

Nixxxed · #1 03-02-2004, 01:09 AM

Does anyone know who painted the painting that is sitting on the fireplace mantle in the SYW studio panorama shot? It's the brown-and-white profile of a woman, I think.

I've attached a very bad jpg in case you have no idea what I'm talking about.

I've surfed around in vain since the CD release trying to find it on the web, including the few sites that have Stevie's art, and a few Sulamith W. sites I found.

Anyone know? WHOSE HEAD IS IT???

Johnny Stew · #2 03-02-2004, 01:19 AM

That's Rappaccini's Daughter, as drawn by Christine McVie!

Stevie talks about it one of the 'Say You Will' interviews... I think it was the one in Performing Songwriter.
I'll look for the quote and post it.

Johnny Stew · #3 03-02-2004, 01:23 AM

From Performing Songwriter:

Quote:

"Running Through The Garden"

I wrote that song around 1985. It’s about the story "Rapaccini’s Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. We didn’t realize it until it was completely recorded. I thought it was a Twilight Zone episode I’d seen on TV fifteen or twenty years ago. But it’s the story of this girl who’s raised in this beautiful Italian villa and her dad is this gardener and he raised all these poisonous plants and he like infused the poisons into her. It’s very hazy what I remember about the story. She became poisonous, so if anybody were to kiss her, they would die. And she could never leave, because she’s addicted to the poison. So everybody’s like, 'Wow, that’s an incredible story.' There’s a picture that Christine did, a drawing, and Chris is an incredible artist, probably twenty years ago, and she gave it to me, and it’s her, it’s the girl in the song. So I went back and forth about maybe calling it "Rapaccini’s Daughter," but I thought I’d have to get publishing rights and all that, so I left it "Running Through The Garden."

DownOnRodeo · #4 03-02-2004, 01:25 AM

Thanks Johnny Stew.

Johnny Stew · #5 03-02-2004, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DownOnRodeo
Thanks Johnny Stew.

Anytime.

I'm trying to find another article that I know I've read, where Stevie says specifically that that's the painting/sketch on the mantle.

Nixxxed · #6 03-02-2004, 01:41 AM

Thanks, Johnny! That's pretty f*cking cool. Then Christine was in the studio with them, at least in spirit.

Thanks for looking up the second quote. I remember reading the Performing Songwriter article, and downloaded the Rapaccini's Daughter story off the Web. Then, I realized that I had read it in high school.

But I never saw anything else Stevie said about it or the painting...

Josh2003 · #7 03-02-2004, 02:50 AM

Everytime I see that picture, it reminds me a LOT of Stevie on the Say You Will album cover. In fact, when I first saw it, I thought it was a version of the cover.

Anyone else think this might be some kind of intentional connection?

Johnny Stew · #8 03-02-2004, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nixxxed
Thanks, Johnny!
Thanks for looking up the second quote. I remember reading the Performing Songwriter article, and downloaded the Rapaccini's Daughter story off the Web. Then, I realized that I had read it in high school.

But I never saw anything else Stevie said about it or the painting...

I'm still trying to find it, but I promise I'll post it as soon as I do.

There are so many interviews to wade thru though (and I have to wonder if it was actually in one of the RADIO interviews).

Well, the search is on!

Johnny Stew · #9 03-02-2004, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Josh2003
Everytime I see that picture, it reminds me a LOT of Stevie on the Say You Will album cover. In fact, when I first saw it, I thought it was a version of the cover.

Anyone else think this might be some kind of intentional connection?

Not sure if it was intentional, but I definitely see the similarities with the way Stevie's head is positioned on the cover, and the way her hair is styled.

dreams · #10 03-02-2004, 01:46 PM

This painting/drawing (or a print I guess) was featured in one of those celeb charity auctions about a yr ago, along with a ton of other Mac stuff, and was described as a portait of Stevie given to her, and done by, Chris. I'm foggy on the details of the auction, but I remember there was a guitar signed by the band members, and a couple of rings that were winged "wild" hearts, one of Stevie's and one she had given to Lori. Anyone remember?? They had another similar auction this yr with a TON of FM stuff, clothes, etc... Anyway, I'm sure that drawing was in the one last yr - I remember comments being made about not knowing about Chris's talent, and how cool to do that for Stevie, etc....

Josh2003 · #11 03-03-2004, 01:56 AM

Here is the painting of Stevie, by Christine.

I can see the similarities...but I don't think its the same...

dreams · #12 03-03-2004, 02:22 AM

Yes, you are right Josh! That is the one, not the other! I am glad someone remembered that, I thought i was going crazy!

strandinthewind · #13 03-03-2004, 06:45 AM

Interstingly, you can sing "Rapaccini’s Daughter" in the place of "Running Through The Garden" in the song and the sound effect is the same. Oh that clever Stevie

gldstwmn · #14 03-03-2004, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Josh2003
Everytime I see that picture, it reminds me a LOT of Stevie on the Say You Will album cover. In fact, when I first saw it, I thought it was a version of the cover.

Anyone else think this might be some kind of intentional connection?

I never thought about that but now that you say it, I think you're right.