In this post, we will look at some of the most startling aspects of Bob Dylan’s life. These ten simple facts will assist us to learn about the artist’s lifestyle.
10 Interesting Facts About Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is possibly the most deserving of the title polymath. Dylan, one of America’s most recognized singer-songwriters and widely regarded as one of the best lyricists of all time, understood words at a young age. Over his life, the wordsmith turned his attention to painting and sculpture, providing us with an insight into the life that his music vocalizes.
If you want to know the best albums by Bob Dylan then Click Here!
- In the 1960s, Dylan began drawing and painting
Dylan began drawing and painting to pass the time while recovering from a motorcycle accident. Fine art has now become a vital aspect of Dylan’s ongoing exploration of self and society, illustrating the way the legendary composer perceives the world.
- Dylan’s drawings and sketches were collected in the book Drawn Blank
Drawn Blank, published in 1994, was the first time the general public was introduced to Dylan’s efforts at sketching. The book contains a series of drawings and sketches produced by Dylan while touring Europe, America, and Asia between 1989 and 1992.
- Dylan has created illustrations for several of his own lyrics
Dylan developed a set of handwritten lyrics in 2018 that appeared alongside a drawn image, visually representing his words.
The sketches, almost like an illustrated diary, reflect the views and situations that inspired some of Dylan’s most memorable songs.
- Dylan’s sculpted art is made of iron
Dylan’s sculptural works, created by welding scrap metal together, allude to his background in the so-called “Iron Range.” Dylan himself stated his fascination with iron: “When I was a child, I’ve been surrounded by iron. I grew up in an iron ore country, where you could breathe and smell it every day. And I’ve always dealt with it in some capacity.”
- Dylan paints almost entirely from life
Dylan has sought inspiration from the commonplace since he began sketching and painting in the 1960s. As the songwriter-turned-artist put it about his visual work, “I was simply sketching whatever I felt like drawing whenever I felt like it. The goal was always to present some type of panoramic view of the world as I saw it at the moment, without affectation or self-reference.”
- Dylan studied for two months with Norman Raeben, an Ashcan School tutor
Dylan started taking art lessons with Norman Raeben, a painter and teacher who was born in Russia, soon after his motorcycle accident. Dylan was motivated to resume writing music by Raeben, who had a significant impact on both his visual work and musical composition.
- The movies have influenced Dylan
Dylan drew inspiration from the film in particular for his Deep Focus series, which he wrote between 2020 and 21. Dylan showed his talent for storytelling by choosing sequences from several Hollywood films to turn his paintings into moody film stills.
- He frequently alludes to American opportunism in his works
Dylan’s art is dripping with a very American optimism, whether he is depicting busy city streets or train tracks that stretch into the void.
Dylan places the audience in his scenarios and immerses them in his landscapes that are influenced by the American Dream in all of his cinematic painted works.
- Dylan has honed his filmmaking skills
Perhaps it is not strange that Dylan, a skilled storyteller, would focus on movies. Hearts of Fire, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and Masked & Anonymous all featured Dylan as a leading man. He even directed and featured in the 1978 film Renaldo and Clara, demonstrating his love of the movies.
- His name has not always been “Bob Dylan”
He adopted the stage name “Dylan” while attending the University of Minnesota, despite being born Robert Allen Zimmerman. Before settling on the now-iconic “Bob Dylan,” he toyed with the names “Elston Gunn,” “Robert Allyn,” and several spellings of “Bob Dillon” when he first started performing on stage.
Don’t forget to give your feedback in the comment section and don’t forget to bookmark our website Sacredsoulmusic for more such articles.