Heart of the Musician

14”x17”

Markers, Pens, & Colored Pencils on Bristol Smooth Paper

“Heart of the Musician” is the third installment of the “Musician” series and was inspired by the electrical conduction system of the heart. 

What started out as a design for a study tool to learn the electrical system of the heart turned into another piece that follows the story of a diffident musician and their passion for music. 

This piece is hidden with Easter eggs that have been intentionally placed in specific areas in order to help the artist remember certain anatomical structures and their functions. One example of these Easter eggs would be the musical conductor, placed in the area of the SA node, also known as the sinoatrial node, aka pace maker of the heart. Just as the SA node sends the signals to the other areas of the heart in order to excite a contraction, the conductor of a symphony is keeping time and directing the orchestral. Another example would be the PA system, found in the center of the heart along the septum. The PA system in this case represents the bundle of his, which transmits the signals from the SA and AV node through the perkinje fibers signaling for the ventricles to contract. The PA system also takes all of the signals ahead and sends them to the speaker system (placed by on the ventricular walls).

Interested in learning more about the symbolism? Please feel free to contact the artist.