The Inspiration Behind "Just The Way You Are"...

Pretty much every morning I "Jump Start" my day with VH1... so its no surprise when their top favorites become my favorites.  One of my current ones being "Just the way you are" by Bruno Mars. First of all its such a simple, beautiful song, how could any girl not love it.  We all at one point or another wished that some guy would come along and write us a song about how beautiful we are (we'll at least I do) and then sing it to us while creating a portrait of us out of the tape from an old cassette... ? Huh?  a cassette tape.  How did that fall into the fantasy?  Well, if you have seen the video then you would know exactly what I am talking about.  Song aside, the images created from the cassette table are my FAVORITE part of the video.  I was in awe watching them come to life each time it came on.  So much in awe that I HAD to find out more.  So I did.

                

The video was inspired by an extremely talented young artist, Erika Iris Simmons from St. Louis. She creates these amazing pieces of art from recycle cassette tape and 8mm film. A true visionary!  Her website describes her art a blend between conceptual art, craft making and pop culture.  Straight from her 'about me' on her site... "there is always a hidden world to be found seemingly mundane".  I couldn't of said it better myself.  It seems that me and Ericka have a thing in common. Below are some of my favorites from her flickr stream...

Ghost in the Machine - Fred and Ginger

8mm Recycled Film with Kodak reel

Erika Iris Simmons

Ghost in the Machine - Fred and Adele

8mm Recycled film on white canvas

Erika Iris Simmons

Ghost in the Machine- Michael Jackson

Tribute to Michael Jackson, cassette tape on canvas, 2009

Erika Iris SImmons

Ghost in the Machine: Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe coming out of old 8mm film reel, recycled film on canvas, 2009. Happy Birthday Mr. President.

Erika Iris Simmons

Check out the video below in case you haven't seen it, of if your like me and love watching it over and over again.   This time hopefully you will pay a little more attention to the inspiration behind it and be thankful that you now know where is came from...Enjoy!

Bruno Mars - New Music - More Music Videos