Category: 2012

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

S_V_H Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons(Autumn)adagio molto Final image

Published on by Scott Von Holzen1 Comment

Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons – Autumn – 2nd  movement.  This artwork is composed of five canvas panels with a total length of 120inches by 40.75 inches, maximum height.  This work was started on May 28th and now 47 days later it is finished. The guesstimate is a minimum of 3 hours a day was spent working with this artwork.  This means about 130 hours to complete.  The amount of time an artist puts into a work is not a prerequisite for value or quality, but it is good information to have when planning.

Listening to One Night in Bangkok

Melissa Ferrick – Don’t Say Goodbye

Bruce Springsteen – Streets of Philadelphia

Etta James – At Last

If I look at this painting objectively, there is not much in art history that looks  similar to this, or that approaches the way this art depicts music.   That does not mean it is any good, but there is a feeling, that this new Vivaldi work is continuing the push of this art in an interesting direction.

What then was accomplished with this artwork? We can start with those interestingly portrayed musical ties that are crazy good in this work.  This is an image of your standard sheet music musical Tie:

Now, here is this artist take on a musical tie from this painting:

There is no comparison, one image is of standard musical notation, and the other has nothing to do with music and is a creation from imagination. Simply put, one can be played, while the other can be either appreciated or dismissed.

This artist take, on Vivaldi’s musical notes, took on the look of  individual planets (not intentionally) each with their own little moon (dotted half-note) that floats across the canvas.  Here is musical notation version of a dotted half-note:

 This is this artist take on a dotted half-note:

Throughout this work every object that floats over the background has been treated as an individual item which gets some of its inspiration from the musical manuscripts of Mozart at the British Library.   

The way musical notation is jotted down is as individual as the musician.  Those varied pencil marks can then produce an infinite number of options when played.  So, it is in looking at music and with the understanding of this endless variety that is music, that has been a part of what has allowed this art to quickly improve and transform.

Tiny Dancer – Elton John –  from the album Madman Across the Water

Listening to Will Smith – Wild Wild West

Billy Eckstine – Misty

Suicide Blonde – INXS

One  technical issue that had been a concern of  this artist, was to not to create an abstract musical artwork that could be dismissed as decorative:  partially defined as a painted work on canvas that has the right colors to match the furniture, and is the right size to full the space on the wall. When the thought is about decorative painting Henri  Matisse comes to mind, and what was learned from his art that actually changed this art over the years. It is in this gowning process, and the better understanding of the great variety that is music, that allowed this art to be depicted however it was wished, and that any concerns with  decoration was nonsense.  The varied use of color and shapes are needed to enhance the feel and mood of the music. Since music is usually listen to, and since these paintings have no sound, this art needed to create visually images to arouse the music inside of the viewer. Plus in practical terms it would have been boring painting standard music notation, which would have killed this art.  Thank you Matisse. Matisse is also on that short history list of influential artists starting with Vincent Van Gogh,  Rembrandt van Rijn,  Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and J.M.W Turner.

Sting – Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)

Janis Joplin – Try

Bowling for Soup – 1985

This artist believes that this work’s style certainly pushes forward. But  its limited use of add on canvases can be seen as an unavoidable short coming of this artwork. Otherwise, the best of this art is in the style and coloration of all those half-notes, those magnificent ties, the words that are large and look great reflecting the mood of the painting in their color, and the use and variety of colors in the background.

There are now ten more works of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, yet to paint, with the next one beginning tomorrow, delayed because of the multiple hours required to write this one blog entry.

Listening to Take Five – Dave Brubeck

Vivaldi – The Four Seasons – Winter – 1st movement the artist favorite.

Michael Jackson – Blood on the Dance Floor

Keb’ Mo’  – Soon as I get Paid

This now brings me to this years Birthday painting that everyone, that reads this blog, will have an opportunity to receive a sign photograph of that work, t0 be painted from beginning to finish, all in one day, July 31st. I will be posting another blog entry with the details.

Ending this blog entry with The Killers – All these Things that I’ve Done

Scott Von Holzen