Mus (the e is invisible) is a collaboration of Lisa Figueroa, Bonnie Jackson, Susan Miller, Carol Schlosar, Taryn Garrett. These are past students of Lisa’s who are now pursuing their own art careers. Their common bond is a love of portrait drawing and this passion brought the five of them together to create this 8’x5’ full body portrait of Joni Mitchell. MUS (the E is invisible) has taken its chromatic inspiration from the album’s title “Blue” and tells a visual story through engagement with the lyrics from “River”.  Re-imagining a young Joni in hockey skates teaching “her feet to fly” is the lyrical apex that stimulated their inspired art. Forty five years after the release of “Blue” MUS (the E is invisible) has engaged the viewer to have a dialogue with Joni on the ups and downs of being an iconic Canadian trailblazer abroad.

“River”

It’s coming on Christmas,

They’re cutting down trees.

They’re putting up reindeer

And singing songs of joy and peace,

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on.

But it don’t snow here,

Stays pretty green.

I’m gonna make a lot of money

And and then I’m gonna quit this crazy scene.

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on.

I wish I had a river so long,

I would teach my feet to fly.

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on.

I made my baby cry.

he tried hard to help me,

he put me at ease.

lord, he loved me so naughty,

made me weak in the knees.

Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on.

I’m so hard to handle,

I’m selfish and I’m sad.

Now I’ve gone and lost the best baby

That I’ve ever had.

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on,

I wish I had a river so long,

I would teach my feet to fly.

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on.

I made my baby say goodbye.

It’s coming on Christmas,

They’re cutting down trees,

They’re putting up reindeer

And singing songs of joy and peace,

I wish I had a river I could skate away on.

- Joni Mitchell