This was what I saw when visited the Gallery where I have had artworks on and off displayed for sale since 2017.

The picture I took when I was about to leave. The Music teacher was on the left and a candy store on the right. Both are now gone along with my artworks.

I took part in two one day shows at the Gallery back in my old Art Fair days. I was asked and had a month long show then in March 2018. When that show was finished, the Gallery manager, Christy (a loyal supporter) hung on to a few of my works. Eventually, she gave me a more permanent spot to hang next door to a music teacher in March 2019. Later, because nothing sold, I removed and hung the wonderful artwork, Africa. That also did not sell. I replaced Africa with two of my smallest works, a little Beethoven and a Mozart piece. I priced them to sell even though the Gallery would take 40 percent of the sale. They did not.

Christy and I talked and neither of us had any honest ideas about why this art did not sell. She mentioned another gallery that had new owners. I told her I would be embarrassed asking them to sell this art when years have gone by at her gallery with any offers. I told her I would be back when the circle comes around. She said hopefully to display this art again. So that is what it is.

Scott von Holzen

(I searched my bog entries, but I found nothing about the story told to me by the music teacher when I stopped in to replace Africa. He said he was sad to see it go, for his students would press the play button on Africa to let him know they had arrived. He said he would post a picture of Africa on his Facebook page. Maybe some day I will remember or find out who he was and post that image)

Before I talk about the sale of Walkling in Memphis, I would like to comment on this image of Jaime O, the person who questioned me about why I gave up painting. This photo of Jaime in front of Twinkle and Gold Rush is how I see and know him. I see his pride in what this art has accomplished and, importantly, his part in this artist’s comeback. Well deserved. The question he presented to me back in late 2005 came from one of our many conversations.

Jaime’s office was across the hall from mine. And since I did not have a window, and he did, in search of a break or a change of scenery, I would often venture into his office. This occurred more often in the midafternoon, let’s say from 2pm and on. When Jaime was in his office, and not on the road selling, and it was around that 2pm time he would this tendency to get a little sleepy. To help refocus both of us, I would check my watch, listen to hear if he was on the phone, decide that world of IT was safe for this moment, and only then wander into his office.

I enjoyed his view, but it was a conversation I was in search of. Either of us would start it with a tease. Jaime was then, and probably still is, a world traveler selling to many markets. This allowed him In this spare time abroad to visit the local art museums and such. I, of course, found this art connection interesting and one I wanted to converse with him. That was something Jaime enjoyed. He not only understood great art, he also throughly enjoyed talking about himself. Although I always felt engaged with our conversations, no matter the subject.

It was during one of our exchanges around art that he questioned me about why I gave up painting. That became the change moment that may have helped instigate my shift away from traditional photography and into digital photography. Eventually, his words spun me around, away from photography and back to art that I had abandoned in the early 1980s.

I gave him an artwork as a thankyou in early 2006. Finally, I remember one brief conversation we had when he said that my name, “Von Holzen.” sounded like an artist or high end stereo equipment. I thought that was a wonderful comment. Years later, neither of us knew I would develop the potential to become both.

This is the video I received on my phone with the Owner of the company saying, “sold,” for Walking in Memphis.

Late in my fifties, I returned to a two-year tech school for five semesters to earn a decree in Computer Information Systems. This company then hired me for their IT department. Almost all these smiling faces I worked with, supported, exchanged stories, debated with, learn from, care about, and still miss today after being away for five years. They are from the sales department of the company I worked for fifteen years. The name mentioned in the video is a great work friend and one of the company’s top salesperson. I received this video from him and we still exchange text messages to this day. Of course I took this photo that like Jaime’s image clearly displays the character of this special friend of mine.

Walking in Memphis sold for $4,000 dollars. This is my largest single sale ever. Once again, I want to thank the company not only for their generosity, about also for their remembrance of my many enjoyable years serving their needs. As for the two person show at the Center for the Visual Arts in Wausau, Wi that was a disappointment. Although I am pleased to show and split the sale monies with them, nothing else came out of that effort. I did not expect to “Break on through to the other side,” but no feedback? Only experience was gained. I expected such and was proven right.

Scott Von Holzen

This smiling face means that this Art has finally received recognition.  This last Friday night at the Pablo Center artist’s reception for the Homecoming exhibit I received the third prize winner for the artwork The Blue Danube (2001 Space Odyssey).   It surprised both Barb and me.  This is the fourth reception this year we attended, and at each event, there was always hope that the artwork would receive at less an honorable mention.  In the lead up to the prizes being announced Rose Dolan-Neill the Visual and Literary Arts Manager mentioned that they received four-hundred applications from thirty states and that they had a difficult time choosing the fifty-three that were apart from this show.  She considers us all winners and I believe her.  In the audience, there was not one artist that did not think they deserved the Grand prize. The juror for the Pablo show was Yoonshin Park.

I remember telling Barb that I wanted to talk to the juror and approached Yoonshin Park in the awards room, even though there were others standing by her.  I was on a mission and eager to ask for feedback.  Because I was on an emotional victory high, I recall only parts of the conversation between Yoonshin Park, her friend, and me.

To describe the overall exchange I would say it was, enthusiastic, exciting and fast-paced, and confusing.  To my disappointment, I had difficulty in understanding Yoonshin Park’s English accent.  She was born in Seoul Korean.  Here is the Pablo’s information about the juror:  “Yoonshin Park is working with sculptural papers, artist books, and installation. Her main media concentration is pulp, paper and books. Her interest in comprehensive process of paper making and book binding caters her work to en-compass various elements woven into complete objects. She received her M.A. and M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. She was born in Seoul, Korea and currently resides in Chicago, IL.”

FRAGMENTS OF MY CONVERSATION WITH YOONSHIN PARK:

There was one moment when Yoonshin Part spoke and I repeated the words in my mind so to try to not forget.  She said these specific words about this art “…different direction…”  To my great disappointment, I cannot remember what she said right before or after.  I remember her saying she had a hard decision choosing between The Blue Danube and another entry, Mozart Serenade No. 13.  With the mention of Mozart during our conversation, I bought up my current artwork, Twinkle Little Star, and told her about the connection with Mozart.  She said she knew the music adding no further details.  She asked about the size of the work, and I said about five feet by four feet, and she and her friend both had a reaction, but I did follow up to know what they meant.  I remember her praising how the features,  structure, or makeup of The Blue Danube, worked so well together.  I remember her talking about her understanding of the artwork, and as I listen I became lost.  I pointed to the picture of The Blue Danube on my award to make sure she had not mistaken my artwork for another winner at the show.  She said yes she was talking about the Danube and I said something about I never looked at the artwork that way.  I don’t remember her description.  I remember praising her as an artist and may have asked her something about the moment that she thought she had made it as an artist?  To my surprise, she looked away from me and mentioned that for four years she struggled and did little or no work on her art.  I remember no more other details about her art, but I recall being surprised by her honestly.  I think she asked how did I come up with the description of my art, which is Interactive Constructed Sculpture.  I told Yoonshin that I never like the term, mixed media.  I mentioned that I had 200 art books, maybe to tell her how I came across the term.  Then I described Pablo Picasso’s cardboard wall sculpture of a violin (actually it was a guitar) he did in 1911, which was the first Constructed Sculpture.  I asked her about getting my art out so more could see it.   I said something like I didn’t want this art to die in Eau Claire.  Although, I quickly defended Eau Claire for being good for my art.   That is when she and her friend both perked up and after a short search, Yoonshin pulled out her calling card and pen and wrote Chicago Sculpture International.  She is a member and spoke about an upcoming exhibition at the Bridgeport Museum if I did not mind traveling. Then her friend mentioned, and Yoonshin wrote the web address callforentry.org that she thought would be helpful.  I do not know why it came up, but I told her one of my goals was to walk into the museum of Modern Art and look across the gallery and see my name on an artwork.  I then said somewhat awkwardly that I would then look for my next goal.   For reasoning beyond me, I said to her not everyone can be a child prodigy.  That statement seemed to light both of them up in agreement.  I continued that some of us have to take the moment whenever it comes. For me, at seventy I wanted to take the next twenty years to see how far this art could go.  Yoonshin Park was kind, thoughtful, open and helpful. Talking and listening to her was as important to me as the award.  I have never had a conversation with a successful contemporary Artist.  It thrilled me.  I lastly remember asking her if it would be okay to email her and she was fine with that.  A few other remembrances are that I slouch down so I could have more eye to eye contact with Yoonshin.  I remember her standing there with her coat wrapped over her arm.   I reached out a few times and lightly touching her coat when we were talking.  I guess to add emphasis to a point I was making, but wish I had not.  Finally, when they were ready to move on, I gently shook their hands and remembered saying to her friend, who was much taller than Yoonshin and dress in all black with a hat, that it was nice meeting her even though no one had mentioned her name.

Awards Ceremony clip of me receiving third-place at the Pablo Center for the Artwork The Blue Danube.  I never thought of the video and did not realize that Barb had captured this important moment.

Scott Von Holzen