Elaine Rockoff - SheRockArt "Verse to Vision"

Exhibited at Lycoming Arts Gallery April 2025

“Verse to Vision” is an homage to many of the musicians whose music has inspired, comforted and invigorated me, or simply provided the soundtrack to many treasured memories in my life.

Each illustration is created using the lyrics of a song (or songs) by that artist which hold particularly special meaning to me. This collection was born out of a need for me to find purpose during the long solitude imposed upon all of us during the Covid pandemic.

As a mother of four grown children living far away, and whose husband was bravely battling the pandemic as a hospital-based physician, I spent many countless hours and days alone. I quickly realized the need for me to seek a purpose and try to create something meaningful to illuminate those otherwise dark times. Although I am not a formally trained artist, art has often provided a sanctuary for me, a peaceful space into which I could escape. And so, my journey began...

After experimenting with several new mediums, I reverted to my comfort zones of pencil sketches and pen and ink drawings but remained determined to uncover new challenges. It was then that I discovered micrography, the art of creating images using tiny writing, and was inspired to apply this newfound method as a means by which to unite my passions of art, portraiture and music together in a new way. Each piece begins with a sketch, then the lyrics are added in ink. Professional photographs of them (thank you Ryan Rafferty @ Vannucci Foto!) are then taken so that they can be converted into the more durable and permanent acrylic forms you now see. It is my hope that this collection might, in some small way, pay forward the joy and healing that these musicians and their music have provided me, as well as share the blessing the creation of this collection has bestowed.