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 Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons – Summer-adagio” image2

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons – Summer adagio. This artwork is 12 feet(3.66m) in length by 36 inches(.91m) in height.  It is awkward to handle which I learned when I tried to remove this artwork from the easels and it swung up and hit the ceiling. The work consists of four canvases, so far, with the largest being  three by 5 feet. The words chosen come from the Vivaldi sonnets of which this is one translation from Wikisource:

” The fear of lightning and fierce thunder
Robs his tired limbs of rest
As gnats and flies buzz furiously around.”

Of course, this artwork is going to concentrate on the “lighting” and “thunder” parts of this poem. There might be a splash of “gnats” here and there, but that part of the sonnet does not inspire me.

Listening to:
Just in Time – Sonny Rollins
For You Blue – The Beatles
South City Midnight Lady – The Doobie Brothers

Here is the  link to the music, from an earlier blog entry.  On the left side of the full image you see and can feel the soft, reflective, sad, soothing  music. Then as the canvas expands, to the right, the thunder makes its appearance.  The artwork , starts just before the third rumble. Those light blue horizontal lines represent lighting. This is not a complicated piece of music and that may well be reflected in the end appearance and the shorten time needed to complete this artwork. Ahead there will be some interesting work done with the thunder and the overhead beams that are only now a drawing.  Already,  updates have added depth and an interest to those soft green circle notes.

THE  2012 BIRTHDAY PAINTING TO BE COMPLETED, ALL IN ONE DAY, ON JULY 31ST THIS COMING TUESDAY: This  Blog Link details how you can name a piece of music that you would like to see painted on that day.  If your choice wins, you then will received a signed, large-scale photograph, as a thank you.  I need more musical choices to choose from, get involved.

Here are the latest suggestions, with comments:

Simon and Garfunkel – I am a rock OR The Boxer
Beatles – let it be
Rod Stewart – Forever young
The White Stripes – Jolene (Dolly’s rendition was familiar to me growing up; but I like the edge in the White Stripes version

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons – Summer-adagio” image1

Published on by Scott Von Holzen1 Comment

Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons four Canvas, 12 feet(3.66m)in length by 36 inches(.91m).  This is a snap shot, of the early background.  Next up will be to draw in the music to see how it lays across the canvas. Once the draft of the music is laid out then it will be back to the background.

The grey colored area, on the left side of this image, is not canvas. What you are looking at is the first odd shape work, that  could be called a combine.  To explain how this art got to this point you have to look back to 2005.  From one canvas to another,  it was felt back then, that it was necessary that the musical phrase  fit the selected canvas support.  Of course that was restrictive, which eventually lead from works that were on a two foot by four canvases to larger signal sizes and then to works on two same size canvases bolted together in 2009.

It was in earlier 2012, with the Mozart work Serenade No.13, that this artist realized that this thinking was backwards: the art needed  to accommodate the music.  That is why you see, in the image above, that extra 12-inch panel on the far left, and the 12-inch panel in the lower middle.  Those two small pieces will allowed  the bass sound a stronger visual on the right side. There are style changes in the sharpening of the effort to  not  blend the canvas parts together, and with the use of two different size canvases, that are awkward to handle, that compose the background.

One thing that has matured with this art, over the years, is the approach to depicting music. If you look at general sheet music, it is rigid in structured and this set the standard for much of my earlier works.  But that got boring, and once the technical confidence grew, so did the ideas to better paint the flow of music without turning it into a typical wall hanging.  This art is not your generic abstract  music painting, splashed in complementary colors, you see everywhere. This art has grown and so have I while staying true to the idea that started it all.

Listening to:   The Thrill is Gone – B.B King,  Hallelujah – K.D Lang,   The Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive,  She Talks to Angels – The Black Crowes, Peal Jam – Come Back.  George Carlin – Capital Punishment

The following is a video of this music:

UPDATE on the Birthday Painting Suggestions that have come in.  Here is the list so far:

Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers.

Your Are so Beautiful – Joe Cocker

Roses are Red  –  Bobby Vinton

I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston

House of the Rising Sun – The Animals

Blame it on the Rain –  Milli Vanilli

Vincent – Don McLean

What’s Going on – Marvin Gaye

Changes – Tupac  Shakur

The Sky is Crying – Stevie Ray Vaughan

 It is your turn  to add to this list. Here is the link for the details, detailing the Birthday music painting.  On my Birthday, July 31st I will start,  and complete this work.

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Birthday painting, Your ideas are needed. This is your chance to be part of this blog’s Art IN Music history.

Published on by Scott Von Holzen4 Comments

July 31 2012 I will be sixty-four. On my last few Birthdays, I have spent much of  that Day, if obligations allow, creating a new painting from start to finish. It normally takes from three, to six weeks, which it took for the last artwork, to complete a painting.  So, this will be no small undertaking.

Here is my simply rule for this one day project:  I can choose the music ahead of time, making sure it will fit a prepped 2 x 6 foot canvas that is a blank white image. What has helped with color choices and layout,  these last two years, is the choice of a Master Artwork as a template.   Below are the Birthday paintings from the last two years, along with the blogging links:

This is Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey  Birthday Painting 2011 base on Vincent Van Gogh 1890 a painting.

The Long & Winding Road  by the Beatles, Birthday Painting 2010  based on another Vincent Van Gogh 1890 painting.  This photo is from just before midnight, and I look staged.

Here is what is in it for you:  Send in a comment, or email to swvonholzen@gmail.com, your choice of music for the 2012 Birthday Painting, any genre, accept rap (not there yet).  It would also be interesting if you would include the name of a Master Artwork, that you chose for the music, but that is not necessary.  Of course, I would have to find the music, kinda-of like it, and find a part of it that would fit that days canvas.  A lot of things have to work to be chosen.  To be helpful no downer music, and stay away from symphonies.

Whomever sends in the wining music for the 2012 Birthday painting, will receive a signed photo image about 17 by 6 inches on 13 x 19-inch glossy paper printed on a Epson R2000 printer.  I will  comment on the submissions, and announce the winner on July 30th.

Understand this is not a gimmick to gather information. This blog would never be about taking advantage of you, but the opposite of that.  I will be respectful of your privacy. Only those requested postal addresses will receive an image.  I am doing this for the challenge, to save indecision time, and to get more feedback.

So, what will happen on July 31, 2012, probably starting at 8am Central Daylight saving time, or 1pm Greenwich time, the 2012 Birthday painting  will begin with live blog updates throughout that day, and into the night.

Once again here are the links to the last two years Birthday Blogs along with the pictures of the Master Works that where chosen as a guide:  2011, & 2010

I will be updating this blog entry,  to comment on any suggestions.

Good luck, and hit me with your favorite music.

Scott Von Holzen