You are now seeing the flow of the music for It’s so hard to say Goodbye.  For the music I have used painted wood, both round and square shapes, about a quarter-inch thick.  I am at a turning point with this artwork. As I have done with other artworks I have created a three-dimensional look by stacking canvases. My thinking is to take this further by moving entirely away from displaying the music as a two-dimensional shape. This approach then sharply separates the Music from the background, and better satisfies a constant pursuit of mine.

The big advantage to lifting the Music off of the surface of the canvas is that I can better present it with more depth,  variation, and of course, improved contrast from the background.  By widening the materials,  used to produce these add-on representatives of the Music,  I am breaking through the limitations of the wood frame covered canvas. This gives this art unlimited potential to find more options to portray the spontaneity, uniqueness,  and the unpredictable, of a musical performance, and  still stay true to the style of this musical art.  I understand that music does not have limitations, and therefore, if done smartly, neither should I when I am portraying it.

By abandoning more and more of the restrictions that you see in sheet music, I am coming closer to a better understanding of how I can best display music.  Each of these artworks represent, a unique piece of music, but instead of playing the music in a performance, by evolving this art form,  I am getting better at creating my own cover of that music, which is a major goal.

I would like to complete this artwork by the end of this week, to close the door on 2015. I cannot lock the door. There will still be many moments when I have to turn the handle and walk back in, when memories of voices that are now going find their way to me.  I will listen.  I want to learn from them. Though they are no longer with me, I feel them, and I want to let them know that I am still here, and have not forgotten.

Scott Von Holzen