Tag: Music

S_V_H Let It Snow image 2

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

letItSnow2

Let it Snow 76 inches with a maximum height of 29 inches.  This is just a quick update and a snapshot of this years Christmas 2012 painting.  I am not sure I will be able to complete this artwork, photograph it, attach a canvas image to the Christmas Card, and get them delivered all before the 25th.

Progress lately has shown some potential, and I do have a couple of ideas to try.  I see a lot of snowflakes and I believe I may decorate the notes to appear like Christmas tree bulbs. It may work, it is Christmas, so I allow myself more style leeway with this one work.

There is an earlier image of this work, not shown, where I attached some removable circles, so that I could protect the surface under the notes from the background.  It was just a test,  but if I can find the right sticky material, this technique has potential, especially if that backgrounds are heavily painted.

So far I like the two different colors themes that are going on in this work.  I see the background using reds and greens, while I see the music painted in a pastel palate.   That should make for good contrast between the background and the music, and yet the gold of the background will hold the entire work together.

It is funny, when I look back at earlier Christmas works, to see the style and techniques used, they really do not help that much.  You would think, but my overall style has changed in a year. What you are gong to see in this work is the results of this art for 2012. Even more so then this years Birthday painting which I feel did not move forward enough.

What is the deal with WordPress embedding my larger image in the webpage. You are not seeing the full size that I have up loaded. I will have to find a work around, but until then this is all you get.

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Let It Snow image 1

Published on by Scott Von Holzen1 Comment

Let it Snow is this years Christmas card painting. This work consists of three panels, two 16×20 inches, and one 16 by 40 inches.   In past Christmas Paintings I have not taken any risks,   mainly trying to paint a pretty, Christmas colored music theme, and get those cards sent out in time.  This year because of how long Autumn – Allegro took for me to finish, I need a break, to free my thoughts, those skills and question all those silly assumptions about how to paint this art. Not sure why, maybe I am just restless, or bored, or I like to compete against myself. You can see some of the results of a change in direction in the photo above, for originally I had prepped this painting with one canvas 24 inches by six feet.

This Art is about capturing the flow, the movement, the feelings of a musical piece.  This painting is just small enough that I can throw paint of all colors and textures at it just to see what sticks, and meets those goals.  Really, if it does not stick it is coming off.  So, I will be getting to work on this piece on Monday.  Looking at these canvases I have an interesting start.  Hopefully, I will find other ideas to push this work and this Art forward. Otherwise, if not,  I will paint another pretty Christmas Card picture with lots of Christmas Colors.  And once more get the card out-the-door just in time.

We shall see.

One final comment.  I brought up this blog site on an iPad and expanded the final image of Autumn -Allegro to its full size.  And  I must admit, I was impressed. Not because I did it, but because it exists, like no other piece of Art.  The future will be interesting.

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons – Autumn – allegro Final image

Published on by Scott Von Holzen1 Comment

Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons Autumn Allegro RV 293.  Finally, a final image.  This took forever.  I am glad to move on. The truth is I have no other choice, because of the approach of Christmas, and the need to paint this years Christmas song.  Each Christmas time  I paint a song that is then photographed, printed on canvas, and sent out in this years 2012 Christmas card to all those who have purchased an Artwork, a few friends and family.

The following video sums up a lot of my feelings about this work.  Although fairly raw, this video clearly demonstrates my need to learn how to stay on camera, and to practice out loud the art of speaking the English language.  Time will improve all that, that is for sure.

The photography I did outside  in the shade on a nice sunny Sunday afternoon in the crisp North land.  It is kind-of-nice to take your work outside, it puts things in a different perspective.  One thing,  made obvious with this last work, is that the growth in this Art has been too slow. A lot of that lost time is because of my working for the Man.  Soon, it will be time to take that jump.  I am thankful that I will  have this opportunity that many do not.  Still, to do it will take  courage, that at this point the financial risk  makes that seem risky.  Although, I do not know how real the word risk is, I do know that the word soon is a nagging adverb.

Back to Vivaldi’s Autumn Allegro, the only parts that disappoint me are the background and the beams of the music.  When it comes to the background, the style I am using to paint them is boring. In the past I have done better.   I need to figure out someway of applying acrylic paint that does not create a static background.  I have done this in the past, so maybe it is time to take a second look. The other disappointing part of this work is my handling of the beams ( those long rectangles that form the base of the music).  I need to break some new art ground and like the background find my own way.

That brings me to the Birthday paintings.  The use of a pallet knife, to create square patterns of multiple colors to build the background image, reminds me of Van Gogh and his use of  flowing multiple brush strokes.   Those elongated  brush marks  flowed across this works, which is not happening with my little squares.  I am wondering if I can developed a similar technique.  With music, the subject of this art, the kicking of the background across the canvas is a must.  The problem, so far, when creating backgrounds that move is the layering of paint, which creates a rough effect that is quite dramatic, but shows through to the music layer.  This is not what I want.  I want the music to float, over the background untouched.  So far that has not been accomplished.  Take a look at this artwork and you can see in the those light violet not heads the background poking through.

Listening to:  Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb

Chopin Nocturne # 18 in E

The Eagles – Train Leaves Here This Morning

I Need You – Tim McGraw

Wow, I started this artwork on August 23rd.  I cannot believe it took this long.  The Music Class and the size of this work is much of that, but still I cannot continue on that pace.  Now, I have a blank six-foot canvas sitting on the ease.  It looks so small, and so limited, but I can work on that. A fresh start is long overdue.  Time to let loose.

Iron & Wine – Free Until They Cut Me Down

Mozart, Symphony #29 K 201 Allegro Moderato

Antonio Vivaldi Summer Allegro Non Molto

You Learn – Alanis Morissette

Scott Von Holzen