IN The Studio: Lydia & Sal Brownfield

Painter Sal Brownfield has become an internationally recognzed artist, with work hanging in museums, galleries and private homes. He might be best known in Atlanta for creating the incredible series of women who survived breast cancer that were exhibited at Galerie Timothy Tew and auctioned off to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation. He also advises at Georgia State and lectures frequently at Emory University. His daughter, Lydia Brownfield, has been making her mark on the indie music world, and just released her debut solo album, "A Horse Named Yankee." She's on tour across the United States and will be playing Kavarna in Decatur on Feb. 27 (www.instantkavarna.com). I moderated a conversation between Sal and Lydia as they talked about art, music and more.

Lydia: What are you working on right now, Dad?

Sal: A series of called Testimony in Shelter. It’s about man’s humanity. I have 20 paintings, but there will be 50 in the series.

Lydia: Those are awesome paintings.

Sal: (laughing) You’ll get your fee.

Lydia: I just want one of them. Don’t get too serious, Dad, remember to enjoy the process.

Sal: Lydia has come along and taken paintings off my easel when she thinks they’re finished. She’s walked past and said, "Why don’t you just have some fun with it?"

Lydia: You taught me that. When I was in college trying to figure out what to do with my life and struggling to write songs, my Dad reminded me that my biggest influence should be not necessarily what you do, but the life you live. I remember taking trips out to the country with you to see our friend the tree. There was this tree growing out of a boulder and you said, "Life will happen, it finds a way." So, that’s been my philosophy.

Sal: Don’t forget the rules: rule number one is there aren’t any rules and rule number two is keep smiling.

Lydia: No, rule number one is stay awake, rule number two is to have fun and rule number three is remembering our friend the tree. The cool thing about you Dad is that you decided you wanted to be an artist and you did it. There was no indecision; you just make your paintings. It was never that cut and dry for me. I didn’t know if I could survive like that. I wanted to be an artist, but I was worried about money. I know now you can’t think twice, you just have to do it.

Sal: When you’re at the easel, you get all these things lined up behind you – taxes, rent, bills – and you can feel the pressure on your shoulders. That gives me strength and focus on the work. You have to put fear at bay or you become distracted by it.

Lydia: It took me a lot longer to realize that. I know now that music is my life. In the late 90s, I moved to Atlanta and started writing songs, and then moved back to Columbus and lived at the Y. Then I moved to New York and it just wasn’t coming together. So, I gave up music and went to school and waited tables. Like a lot of people in New York, the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 changed me. It made me see my future.

Sal: I remember you calling me up and saying, "Dad, here’s my new plan." And I told you to pursue music, but just realize your traumatized and it’s going to be hard at first.

Lydia: I went back to Ohio, went to school, got married, got a child, didn’t get a degree. It took me until 2006 to realize that music is where I’m supposed to be. I finally learned it’s not about making a living, but expressing your life.

Sal: It’s an interesting time to be in music isn’t it?

Lydia: It’s changed so much in the last few years. I decided I wanted to make the music on my own. I don’t want a publisher or give anyone creative control. I was on that trip where, like most musicians, you had to get a label and sign a big contract or you were never going to make it. That was the big goal. Now it’s unnecessary.

Sal: You have a lot of projects this year.

Lydia: I’m touring for "A Horse Named Yankee," and then I have an EP coming out in the spring called "Wantings for Sinners." And there’s another full-length album in the summer. I’m also working on a kids album that has an accompanying book.

Sal: I need to let you go to work then. We need to get busy.

For more about Lydia Brownfield, visit her website at www.lydiabrownfield.com. For more about Sal Brownfield and to see samples of his work, visit www.salbrownfield.com.