Category: Classic Rock

S_V_H Under Pressure Final Image

Published on by Scott Von Holzen1 Comment
underPressure_Final
Under Pressure L46.25″ x H25″ x H3.75

Under Pressure is finished.  I will say this, this artwork has been one of my most enjoyable.  Not only did I have fun working with all the wood pieces that I added to this work, I entertained myself with a lot of Freddie Mercury, and David Bowie music.  My feelings are that this painting will remain one of my favorites for a long time, and set the bar high for my next projects.

In the video, about Under Pressure, I speak my thoughts and feelings about this painting.  One thing I mentioned was how I was “impressed” by how fast this art has “involved”.  Well, that may be true with the art, but when it comes to my video presentations all I can say that I have seen very little “involving” going on here.”   Bottom line I can not believe in these videos that I am actually this person. I can only give myself a  break based on the fact that I rarely speak, period, to anyone about this art.  What I do say about my art, I do only in words om a webpage.  That is pretty much it.

I have discovered, while working on this artwork,  some wonderful songs  that now are a part of my must listen to music list. Here are a few more favorites:

There is a lot of David Bowie music that I could have picked from.  Early on in this project, my first choice was Changes. Looking back, I can say that I could have also painted, Heroes, Let’s Dance, New Killer Star, and probably one or two more.  I did not, and I am glad I picked a Queen song that features David Bowie, for he brought to those great lyrics,  a wonderful contrast between Freddie Mercury’s voice and his.

I can not tell you if this is good or bad painting,  for this artwork will define itself in time.   But, what is important to me is that I enjoyed my time painting Under Pressure, and listening to two of the best artists of my time.

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Under Pressure Image 3

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

underPressure_3Under Pressure the third image I have mounted the music, this time using a thicker 7/16th  wood,  to better balance the music which is over 2 1/2 inches in width. The thicker wood also helps the music to better standout from the background.  An issue developed after I put into place the music, and realized that the background now needed some further work to better balance with the strong green and blues of the music.  To give the background that added interest and perk it up, I painted in smaller 1/4 strips on all three canvases. That greatly improved the look of the background even through it was tedious for me to paint  in the strips around all the music.

I have listened to a lot of Queen and David Bowie, lately.  Here are links to a couple of music videos that I have come to like a lot since I started this artwork project:

David Bowie’s  New Killer Star

Here is Queen live at Wembley stadium   I Want To Be Free:

underPressure_3b

This second image is of that large add-on I mention in the earlier blog entry. Once all the musical pieces are in place than I will mount this 11 inch by 24 inch wood enhancement.  Sure, it looks like a ladder, and it could be, or it could be a representation a one measure of music.

I am really enjoyed cutting up pieces of wood to add to these artworks. I am getting the feeling that I have opened a big door for some creative fun and discoveries. And that has happen because of only one thing: I am not accountable, nor influenced, nor directed or coerced for it “may affect my performance,” by anyone.  None of the crap is happening, for when it come to this Art, I am the man at the top, whose only restriction is to be true to this art’s beliefs.  

Bottom line, this painting, is certainly proving itself to be a unique piece that is pushing me,  and this art hard in the direction to be hopefully,  someday, some of the best examples of contemporary American Art.

 

Scott Von Holzen

 

 

S_V_H With a little help from my friends Final Image

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

helpFromMyFriends_FinalI have done enough with this artwork to be able to call it completed.  With a little help from my friends consists of two canvas 58 inches in length by 15 inches in height. My worksheet for this painting dates August 29th,  and today’s finish date is October 2nd. That is a long time on one work, but I must admit there are good reasons.

On September 15th my Father passed away.  No one thought his time was so near, although we where all aware of his continual decline.  Still, it was a shock. No matter your age it is always hard to lose a parent. You have known only two people all your life and that is your Mom and Dad. When my Mom passed away in 2001 I still had my Dad to hold on to that connection. When Dad passed away that Tuesday morning,  I felt that last brick slip away from under what was my foundation, my link to my beginnings.  Life is for the living, and 2016 will be a new start, and I will built on other foundations I have created in my life, but that last first brick, that started it all will be forever cherished, missed, and now lost forever.

At the start of a new week I did returned to work for three days, which was awful. Thankfully, when needed the most,  on the 24th of September I flew out to Pennsylvania, having booked this trip in June.  My destination was Richland,  to visit my fellow garage band member, Tom Haley.  Our best  guess was  that it has been well over 20 years since we where last together. I spent six days with him.  All six days where each an exceptional experience for the both of us.  I liked knowing that each day I would be doing not only fun things, but also seeing things that where different from my daily experiences.  That was important, by being away from my routine life I could then enjoy a new me filled with new conversations, a lot of Art, and much different thoughts.

Tom and I took a bus to New York for the day. We spend most of the afternoon at the Museum  of Modern Art. I saw all the paintings I have seen only in books. I took a lot of pictures, and we walked through a great Picasso sculpture exhibition that both of us enjoyed.  The Modern surprised me.  I am not sure my art would fit with the contemporary art that they had on display.  I feel the dream of mine to walk into a gallery and see one of my artworks may be an out-of-place expectation for the Modern.  If there is a next time, that I am in New York, I will go to the Guggenheim to see if that would be a better fit for this art. Time will tell.

Below at the Modern is Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon that changed the course of modern art. This photograph taken by Haley, shows what bad lighting, and not knowing when to smile all come together in this classic forgettable snapshot, that surely will live on forever.

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Here is a familiar Picasso sculpture among many familiar Picasso sculptures I have seen in print:

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What turned out to be two nice surprises, among our day trips, was first, at a  local museum call The Reading Public Museum were they had a wonderful exhibition of Futurism works on paper. The first work called The Swimmer by Giulio D’Anna I especially like,  for he is creating a sense of motion through line and color. That is always been my first goal with every artwork, to work on creating movement of the music flow across the canvas. The other work Music by Pippo Rizzo of course I  liked because of  a sheet of music in the artwork.  I believe I can learn about movement from Futurism.

Futurism

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The other great surprise was the Barnes Foundation Museum in Philadelphia.  Below, is the only picture I could take, for they do not allow any photography of the collection. Our time  in the Barnes moving from one surprising gallery of artworks to the next, amazed us. I have visited a number of art museums in the world, but I must tell you this would be the best collection of Impressionism, post impressionism and early modern works you will every see under one roof.  Truly, and understatement to say this collection is spectacular.  What a tribute to Albert C Barnes, one of America’s greatest art collectors.

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Continuing the bad lighting theme below this is my video commenting on With a little help from my friends artwork.

I really do not have much to say about this artwork, too much time has passed, with too much else clouding my feelings towards this painting.  For now I do believe I did the best I could do. I have finished this artwork.  Hopefully, this small gem, will accomplish what I have originally planned for it.  Again, time will tell.

Time also requires me to move on. Next up,  I will doing another small work based on the music, once again, written by Bruce Springsteen. This is a more traditional styled Gospel song that I called Heaven’s Wall.

Scott Von Holzen