I am Roger Anthony (Tony) Mapes: painter and singer/songwriter born and raised in Muscle Shoals, Alabama - "The Hit Recording Capital of the World" and the birthplaces of Helen Keller and W.C. Handy. The Muscle Shoals area was populated by an abundance of musicians and visual artists/painters. I began studying music, painting and drawing at a young age with local artists and musicians. I was encouraged to develop my own unique vision. I was and still am inspired by the works of Picasso, Dali, Bacon, 60's POP artists, old black & white horror movies, and pop, country, rock, Broadway, and gospel music.
As an adult, my painterly vision grew to become an abstract expressionist/surrealistic/sci-fi way of painting dream-scapes on canvas using acrylic paint, house paint, found objects, and assorted other media. I interpret energies from spiritual, supernatural, and otherworldly forces. I read sci-fi authors such as Frank Herbert, Octavia Butler, and Vernor Vinge. I am also very interested in the channeled writings of SETH, Abraham/Hicks, and A Course In Miracles. These ideas and characters from novels and readings show up in my paintings.
In my music, I have performed and written rock, pop, dance, country and gospel music with a detour into Broadway musicals. From 1997-2005: I performed as YOLANDA singer/songwriter/gender warrior with my band "Yolanda and the Plastic Family". I created the character "Yolanda", wrote the music, created the costumes, toured and recorded with my band. For more information go to: www.yolanda.net. Currently I am writing and performing country rock new age gospel with my band Red Hook Junction: www.myspace.com/rogermapesmusic
