Author: Scott Von Holzen

Stand By Me is should be finish this week.  It is Monday night and Mondays are never easy, switching priorities, but this work is moving at a respectable pace.  Stand is starting to define itself. The beginning of its separation became obvious in the drawing of the tie and the slur. The use of Prussian Blue, after giving up on reds, and greens, just seemed to work. The lines held there own considering the original drawing was done to just get some ideas of what would stand out. That drawing has been left, as is, for a few days, just to see if only minor tweaking might be required. That might be too presumptuous.  To see the difference in styles look at the tie and slur from Hallelujah, below,then click on Stand to see the full image. Stands lines are stark, predictable and moody, while with Hallelujah the tie and slur are quit flamboyant and outgoing.  Not sure if that makes any sense, this artist never looks at any of these works trying to drop them into any categories.  They would not like that.

There was, or is, a problem with the second eighth rest, in that much of the space it needed was taken to create more space for the notes.  Not sure if Burnt Sienna is that final color for these two objects, but it appears, for sure, that the second rest is just going to be allowed to overlap.  There may be a need to add some personality to these two small objects, but for now there are no ideas.

The background may be worked to create added interest, and drama.  There will be mild surprises, as the process of letting go of this art work starts. It just might be easier then to just kick it here and there, hoping to give this painting the uniqueness it strives for.

Scott Von Holzen

Stand By Me 24 inches by 6 feet.  Evolving slowly, considering that white bottom line, a  musical tie, took over an hour to draw.  The brush is filled with Open acrylic titanium white from Golden, and the drawing just happens.  Then a wet rag wipes most of it off and the line is drawn again, again, again, and again, and again the line is wiped off.  The far left dropping swirl, actually, came early in the design.  The rest of the line resisted, and in fact there is still one smaller tie to draw in, but it was late, and there where not more ideas left, for now.

These paintings resist duplicating, and dislike even resembling, any previous work.  Looking at Hallelujah, and Chopin’s Valse, they both offered great suggestions for a slue or a tie, but Stand was not interested.  Still, Stand did learn from the past and in a simple  act of painting the line flowed, and its feelings where respected.   It is always Artist against the Art.  Sure the Art will win in the end, that is accepted and this Artist appreciates the defiance of the Art.  The Art is right. The Art is forever right.

Art takes everything and gives back the forever reason, the why we are here, now, at this moment.

Scott Von Holzen

Stand by Me a small update.  Time to talk about this artwork, all things considered.  A token admirer said looking at Winter, I believe, that it looked Art Deco.  It was said as a dismissive statement. This person has yet to purchase any of this art, but expects to be privileged, long story.

The style of Art Deco was not an intention of this artist, thinking nothing of it until  that comment was made.  There is no doubt this artist likes the style of Art Deco,  Memphis, Art Nouveau for examples.  But, how this style came about was because it was so time consuming to  duplicate dozens of oblong shapes.  What tipped the thinking was the reality that the standard music notation had evolved from a flat oblong object.  Over artworks that oblong shape was was slowly being raised up to a high sharp angled oblong, to increase their size and impact.  The next logical step then became the circle.

The problem with the circle was that object does not have the sense of motion that the up raised notes.  Once the way to put motion into the circle was figured out the circle then began to change all other aspects of this art.  Things just happen, so if this work is a little Art Deco, or is indebted to a dozen other artist or art “isms” that is OK.  A little research is needed, so Art Deco the Definitive Guide was purchase to add to the expanding Art book collection that has been going on for forever amount of years.  Art Deco is a wide style, and some comparisons and  some benefit may come  from inside this book, but the thought is, the Art is going to go wherever it has to go to prove its worth.

Since this is a smaller painting it was a concern not to put much effort into any minute detail.  Small details are the enemy of this art.  It must be in your face from 8 feet back, for example.  If at that distance the detail is hard to discern then that time was wasted, and painted out. That is an important rule.  Now, if only that rule could be extended to Life, so much more time could be available for painting.  Not, going to happen.

Scott Von Holzen