The only art I’ve ever made that that is 100% for my own enjoyment… and it feels awesome.

My new hobby is making hip hop / dance style mashups out of my favorite songs across decades and genres. (Images screen shots of the snipped audio files laid out in mixing software). I’m currently working on a continuous mix project where each song flows seamlessly into the next. This image: Nelly - Country Grammar / Fall Out Boy - Sugar, We’re Going Down / Big Sean - Bounce Back.

Went a little bit wild on this one: Jay-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder is constant throughout mixed with Queen - We Will Rock You / Childish Gambino - Bonfire / Future - First Off / Destiny’s Child - Survivor / Fergie - MILF$ / Missy Elliot - Super Duper Fly

My favorite so far: Nine Inch Nails - Closer / Digital Underground - Freaks of the Industry / Fiona Apple - Criminal. Song 4 is just about done and the concept for song 5 is looking good.

(live action clip from Nelly / Fall Out Boy / Big Sean) I’ve always liked drawing and design, and been fairly good at it but, there was never any real passion behind it. I come from a STEM-heavy family and that side of me made art feel technical. Looking back, approval from teachers, parents, and peers definitely meant more to me than the actual piece. Getting an A on a project, or even just proving I to myself that I could do a specific thing, was more important than the end result. Now that I’m squarely middle aged with two kids in college, I’ve found a form of creating that I truly enjoy. I love the entire process… hunting for songs that can work together, repeatedly listening to isolated drums, vocals, or backing tracks, and even obsessing over a single high hat that hits 1/4 of a second too early. Sure, it’s fun if other people like it, but I love it and that’s all that matters. I made a SoundCloud that I’m happy to share, but really it’s just so I can listen to my own songs wherever I go. It’s really freeing to finally do something just for me!