Category: thoughts on being an artist

S_V_H The Heart of the Matter image2,3&4

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

Heart of the Matter a 3 panel work 30 inches by 8.5 feet in length.

Thoughts to oneself:  every painting wants to be the best.  They want everything.  No compromising.  No second best. They will steal from the rest, and then claim originality. They all are looking for that edge.  The search for that special look, is their quest, and their hunger.  No shyness. No fear of failure, for they know no none of that

Listening to Sparkling Diamonds – Nicole Kidman – Moulin Rouge

Now listening to Ridin’ High – 8 Ball & MJG followed by the Big Booper and Chantily Lace. The movement between image 2 and 3 is largely in the center area where the push was to bring more browns and brown tints into this area to pull this base somewhat closer to the original album artwork.  The artwork colors are always going to go the way of what works for the canvas, but since this music, unlike most of the other canvas, is tied tight to the music of Don Henley the base does show some influences.

Ella Fitzgerald – Satin Doll

This background is very dense.  Not sure that makes sense, but it does rhyme.  The colors are muted, but they certainly are expressive.  I had to walk over and take another look and the center,  zooms across the eight plus feet of this work.  These small reproductions are fair representations, but it is the size of the real artwork that needs to be seen, to clearly see what is going on with this background. This artist likes the browns, but they are not going to be a priority when this music is added.  You can see in the lines, with their use of a lighter blue, the shades of violet, that there is going to be big changes to come.

Elvis Presley – Funny How Time Slips Away.

The outlines of the beams are in place, so the next question is what colors to use.  Since the music of Heart hits you gently  throughout, a similar color theme that was used in  More was considered a possibility,  but not convincingly.
In the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die (a wide, wide range of works, with small reproductions)…… there is an image by Francisco de Zurbarán,  titled, Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose that can be seen in person at the Norton Simon museum in Pasadena. A passage in the book gives this description of the artwork, “The soft yellows, oranges, pinks, and greens……” Those colors are not unusual for classical artworks, but just their mention together,was enough to become the obvious color pallet  for this music.

Listening to:  Bon Jovi – I’ll Be There For You

Chopin: Waltz In C Sharp Minor, Op. 64/2, B 164,  forever a favorite.

Wild Wild West – Escape Club.  It happens to play at the right time.

The Heart of the Matter image 4, the colors that appear in these images, have been pushed to far to the red side.  This is the third day on this one blog post, and the mood is “..just what is going on with that background?….”     But first, the image above, shows the first few layers of colors that are the themes for the beams.   As you see above these colors do not look like any of the colors from the Francisco de Zurbarán painting, but I would like to point out, Zurbarán, (dead for 347years) probably would not have any issues with that.  The circle parts that sweep through all of those regular boring rectangles, are a carry over from More.   They are there because they create a wonderful……..

Chopin Nocturne Op.9 No.2  To good not to listen, ….carefully.

…they create a wonderful…affect in that they push this image across this canvas.  This one styling technique is a keeper, similar to the rounded notes.

This artist is tired, and need to regenerate.  Tonight, it is hoped more of the beams are colored, and that a peachy-pinky color might work for the circle parts.

Finishing this blog with Tom Petty –  To Find a Friend.

Scott von Holzen

S_V_H I Call Your Name finalImage

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

I Call Your Name is finished.  This work surprised the artist, as much as the 2010 Birthday painting: it stopped what was, and lead this artist onto a different path.  Near the completion of this work there was the added feeling rising  that Call did not care about any finishing touch ups, or any particular fine tunning.  It was saying it was fine with a little roughness left intact.  Of course, this artist still worked the canvas, with dabs of paint here and there, although it was completely unnecessary, sometimes it is hard to let go.

Some works speak more then others.  Some works are shy, while others are aggressive in their demands.  I call your name was neither of those descriptions.  Call simply knew long before it was obvious that it was something quite different.

The artist learns from his art. The artist thrives with his art.  The art risks it all for the art. The art saves the artist. The artist saves himself.  To the art the artist means nothing. The art is selfishly relentless, forever demanding of the artist, and fearless. The art is, the artist is.   That may not be the equalizer for surely there will never be enough strength or time for the artist. The art will win. The artist will lose everything, without regret.

For this artist It is all about the journey. Thank you

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H I Call Your Name image2

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

I call your Name two feet by 6 feet canvas.   Since there are no current orders this song was chosen: it brings back memories, especially the Mamas & Pappas version.  Actually, I saw her standing there, was first chosen.  This Beatles Rock & Roll classic, has forever been a favorite, and it was the cruising through all the Beatles music in the search for Standing that Call was re-discovered as a piece of music written by John and Paul.  This then lead to another classic ballad, Stand by Me the Ben E. King music, that John Lennon covered.

Finding all this music to paint is an exception. There is the intention to put together the music and canvas for the next work, but that never seems to work.  It is hard to change the thought focus.
What happens  then, is hours, and sometimes days of frustration and anger over wasted time, before just the right music is found. The process then begins for a new canvas: are there interesting notes, will they fit on the chosen canvas, how good are the words to work with?

So, for once, we have months of work ahead with I Call your Name, I saw her Standing there, and Stand by me, all with a Beatles twist.  Strange, listening to the Beatles music up pops the desire to listen to a lot of Bruce Springsteen.  Somehow they relate, and from it all may come Thunder road.

We shall see.

Scott Von Holzen