Category: pop music

S_V_H LoveSong Final Image

Published on by Scott Von Holzen
33.5 inches in length x 19 inches in height. Two canvases, aluminum and wood.

The subject of this artwork,  Lovesong,  is finished.  This is an adorable little artwork. Little also helps to cut the considerable amount of increase time that it takes to put together a three dimension painting.  By focusing on smaller paintings this helps to keep up a reasonable timeline, which good for my focus.  That is also the reason I only do one project at a time: I don’t want two projects to complete for me time.

 

The colors chosen are what I think works for the artist like Adele. I rounded much of the music to soften the look, and to give the painting a more feminine feel. The words are necessary generic, but interesting.  Since doing Gently Weeps, and because of reading the story about the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat,   I have added more words.

I have always thought carefully when adding words to an artwork, making sure that their meaning is more diverse than the music. Adding extra random words has finally lightened up this process up, besides adding interest. The solid color of the background puts the background right where I want it,  out-of-the-way.

 

I remember early in my artistic career  when I took the painting Fur Elise to the located Art Center in hope they  would display it in their gallery.  The work was decline.  The one comment that they made was that they thought the artwork’s interest would be too limited, appealing only to those with a music background.  Today, their point could still be valid. I don’t remember if I responded to them that day.  I doubt I did. Even today I am still not sure what I should have said in response.  I do know, that with each finished painting, I am once again spared the need to know what those words are.

Scott Von Holzen

 

 

 

 

 

S_V_H Mr. Brightside Final Image

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

mrbright_finalMr Brightside is finished and is the final painting from this temporary studio.  Over the last three months, from my Daughters children’s toy storage room I have also finished Burgundy Shoes,  and Ave Maria.  As I am writing this blog entry I am working on the setup of my new permanent studio, in a new home, in this new city.  So begins this new adventure with many new stories to come.   To quote Semisonic “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

 

Once again, here is the video that inspired this artwork:

County Kerry Bar Sings ”Mr Brightside’ to Remember Lost Friend Ger Foley

Mr. Brightside is a simple song made up of mostly quarter and eighth notes in a fairly even pitch.  This than shows in the  musical flow, and in the solid blocks of color used in the background of the artwork. Besides using the colors from the video in the painting I wanted to represent the people and the spirit of the bar.  To do this I took my two eighth notes and added to them some left over wood pieces in different shapes and colors. I know that is not much, but that was all I had left after three months of working in a toy room.

Throughout the later part of my stay,  all through the day, no matter what I was working on, I would ask my Amazon assistant, Alexa, to play Mr. Brightside.  And she would respond “Playing Mr. Brightside.”  Then would come the guitar intro, and for some unknown reason I would feel instantly uplifted by this “feel-good” rock music, “I Never,..I Never…I Never,……..I Never………………………. This helped me through the last few weeks in the delightfully alien world of small children. “Bless their Hearts.”

 

Scott Von Holzen

 

S_V_H Burgundy Shoes Image 2

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

burgundyshoes_2I have been on the move.  Now,  after weeks of adjusting to my temporary routine, I am back. This is an advance image of this fine piece of music that tells a story of a girl taking a bus ride with her mother on an early spring day.

In Burgundy Shoes, as I have done in a number of other artworks,  if any of the lyrics give me design ideas, or mention colors, or a time of the year, I will find areas in the artwork to make use of those options. In this painting besides the girl’s burgundy shoes, there is mention of her plaid dress, her mothers red lipstick , lilac kerchief, and the green in the leaves of early spring.

It was obvious that burgundy would be the color of the background.  To harmonize the look of the painting I used colors that complement burgundy, in the stripping. Then I began to worked into the artwork more related  colors and those mentioned in the lyrics in shapes, and shades, consistent with the background.   The thinking for this painting is that the right use of color, in tune  with the music, along with a clean and balance design will improve the first reaction,  and curiosity of the viewer of  this relatively unknown music.

Scott Von Holzen

 

A shortest story  from a Temporary Studio:

When I do take a short afternoon nap I listen to my music to block out the world. Recently, I awoke from a respite to the song Burgundy shoes being played. This was a pleasant surprise for that is the music of my current art project. Outside my door I could hear my grandchildren playing.  I got up and enthusiastically walked out into the playroom playing aloud Burgundy Shoes.  I interrupted my precious three who were laughing and bouncing about like children do, just home from school.  I commented to them that the song they where hearing was the  music for my current artwork.  I guess my intention was to have them stop and  listen to the music as I explained to them that they actually inspired me to paint this music. Instead, I said nothing more after seeing that they all looked startled, and where staring at me with three unanimous looks of  silent confusion.  Feeling silly, and out-of-place, I retreated without another word, back to the safety of  their toy storage room, and my makeshift studio, to re-think my approach to public relations.

Scott