Author: Scott Von Holzen

I am currently renewing an artistic adventure that first started in 1974, and ended in the early 1980's. A casual comment restarted the quest in art in 2004. Now, at night I am surrounded by artworks done and in progress, shelves full of art books, my music collection playing through a classic NAD amp and a pair of solid, classic free standing speakers, my piano, violin, blues guitar, and saxophone. So all is musical no matter what I am up to in the studio. Since I was a kid I have had the urge to be creative Now, in my later sixties, I am determine to know. I want to follow this to the end to see what these paintings, and all this music amounts to. This is probably the last great adventure I will have, so I am all in. So, watch out for nonstop music, canvases with multiple panels, with paint spread thick or dribbled on, words with meaning, and results that will challenge, push the meaning of music, and may even splash back. This blog's real purpose is to document my story in the making, and you are welcomed to follow along. Thank you for your support. Scotty Von Holzen

S_V_H Stairway to Heaven Image 1

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

stairway_1This is the first image for the artwork Stairway to Heaven, composed of three canvases 56 inches in length by 24 inches.  Over the years  I have considered, but never felt convinced, to paint this great rock classic song, or any other music by Led Zeppelin. I now realize that this avoidance reaches back to the day that my musical connection became personnel.

I was a sophomore in high school and on Sunday, February 9th 1964,  the Beatles, made their first black and white television American appearance, on the Ed Sullivan show.  It was the influence of The Fab 4 that formed my early musical tastes.  That meant that I ignored the music of Led Zeppelin which I considered to rough, to loud and to hard to listen to.  Instead I favored The Byrds, Crosby Still, Nash & Young,  The Mamas and the Papas, The Beach Boys, Ray Charles,  The Four Seasons, and Simon and Garfunkel, more so than The Rolling Stones, The Animals,  The Zombies, The Kinks,  Sly and the Family Stone,  Jimi Hendricks, or Janis Joplin. I do remember a moment when the influence of the Beatles was less when I made the rare album purchased of the 1970 record, Live at Leeds, by the Who.  To this day, though, I have no interest to listen to Heavy Metal music, or even classic Punk music.

After 46 years since its release I am now painting the music of Led Zeppelin one of the earliest hard rock bands.  Stairway to Heaven is a needed step forward in the broadening of my musical appreciation.

Here is the YouTube video where I found the color plan for this painting. Do not waste your time watching this entire video.  For all the positive reasons for liking a live music version I am afraid this example of Stairway to Heaven is awful.  Throughout this video I sense that Robert Plant is not into the music.  This is especially noticeable in the dramatic last section  of the song, after the guitar solo,  where Plant’s voice seems weak and disconnected from the music.

 

Here is the better studio version of Stairway to Heaven:

 

Scott Von Holzen

 

 

S_V_H Three Little Birds final image

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

threelittlebirds_finalThis Bob Marley artwork, Three Little Birds is finished. This artwork is one canvas 36 inches in length by a most 18.5 inches in height.  In this final image I have added a couple of simple things to better connect this artwork to the life of Bob Marley.  The three braided cords across the canvas represent Bob Marley’s dreadlocks which he called his “identity.” The six-sided wood pieces  bunched together on two of my notes are symbols of Bob Marley’s love of soccer.

The depth of Bob Marley goes well beyond his musical talents. His  influence on Reggae music, his strong belief in Rastafari, his use of ganja,  and his political effect on the people of Jamaica have all made him a larger than life personality.  This artwork is nothing more than a simple tribute to the music of one of his more uplifting songs.

Scott Von Holzen

 

Here is a Link to buy a canvas print of Three Little Birds and over a hundred other artworks.

Up next, I am finally going to give up the fight and paint Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven. I have the urge to do a great Classic Rock artwork, and I just cannot ignore this monstrous Rock hit any longer.

 

S_V_H Three Little Birds image 2

Published on by Scott Von Holzen1 Comment

threelittlebirds_2This is the second image of the painting Three Little Birds. This is a small forty inch long painting, with a fairly straight forward musical flow. The goal of this work is to help me figure out my routine in a strange new Studio. I am not trying to do anything magical with this painting.  I do have an idea to give it a unique look, but there is nothing radical going on with this project. It is almost like it is a test run:  start and finish it.

For the colors of the music I chose what I saw in Bob Marley, and his style of dress.  As for my chose of words  I believe they are one of the strengths of this painting. They open up this artwork to broad interruption and are a good ‘hook’ for the viewer, if this artwork is ever displayed in a public space.

Until then, this is Three Little Birds own little secret.

Scott