In Lofty Circles Play, original
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This watercolour painting is part of a collection called In the Beginning: The Kawarthas, painted for the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s and Peterborough Singers’ performances of Haydn’s The Creation in Peterborough ON, May 9-10, 2026.
Each painting depicts a single line from the oratorio, as I imagined it here in the beautiful Kawarthas.
I wanted to also incorporate the music itself, though, into the paintings somehow.
So, I started with the key of the particular line of music that inspired the painting. The line for this painting, "In lofty circles play, and hover, in the air, the cheerful host of birds," is in A major.
Then I matched the tonic note of the key to its frequency in each octave. Using a tone generator and a Chladni plate sprinkled with salt, I recorded the geometric patterns produced by each octave’s frequency.
My favourite A pattern, was the 4th A on the piano at 440 Hertz.
Finally, using a Canadian handmade gold paint, I added this pattern into the scene, so the music is actually in the painting.
The pattern, emanating from the focal point of the painting, represents God’s Word vibrating throughout creation, calling it into being - not only in the beginning but also fresh every day.
*Special thanks to the Trent University physics department for their assistance with this project!
This watercolour painting is part of a collection called In the Beginning: The Kawarthas, painted for the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s and Peterborough Singers’ performances of Haydn’s The Creation in Peterborough ON, May 9-10, 2026.
Each painting depicts a single line from the oratorio, as I imagined it here in the beautiful Kawarthas.
I wanted to also incorporate the music itself, though, into the paintings somehow.
So, I started with the key of the particular line of music that inspired the painting. The line for this painting, "In lofty circles play, and hover, in the air, the cheerful host of birds," is in A major.
Then I matched the tonic note of the key to its frequency in each octave. Using a tone generator and a Chladni plate sprinkled with salt, I recorded the geometric patterns produced by each octave’s frequency.
My favourite A pattern, was the 4th A on the piano at 440 Hertz.
Finally, using a Canadian handmade gold paint, I added this pattern into the scene, so the music is actually in the painting.
The pattern, emanating from the focal point of the painting, represents God’s Word vibrating throughout creation, calling it into being - not only in the beginning but also fresh every day.
*Special thanks to the Trent University physics department for their assistance with this project!