One evening in the winter of 1931, a 17-year-old Polish immigrant named Edward W. Roman went ice skating in Tryon, New York. As Roman skated around the frozen pond, he paused to observe the moon’s indigo reflection on the ice. Awakened by the sight, he went home and wrote “Blue Moon” — now one of the most famous ballads in modern music history. Over the years, the love song has been sung by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Billie Holiday. Even Elvis Presley shot his shot, releasing his rendition of the ditty in the 1950s. This soulful version, says South Carolina painter Lynn Follenius, inspired her latest piece, “Blue Moon.” “I wanted to paint that moonlit sky with the clouds parting…sending a comforting message that anything is possible — even falling in love,” she says. You can see her painting during the Transylvania Community Art Council’s latest show, Inspired by a Song. According to Kathy King, executive director of the Council, the exhibition invites artists to interpret a melody through visual art. “We challenged the artists to select a song that inspires them and create artwork to illustrate the lyrics or depict the way the song makes them feel,” says King.
Inspired by a Song: January 5-27
Transylvania Community Arts Council / 349 South Caldwell St., Brevard