Tag: musicbox

S_V_H Rolling and And So warp up:

Published on by Scott Von HolzenLeave a comment

I do not want to look at the starting dates (end of May 2026) on these two artworks’ Work Sheets. In small print on each artwork is a copy of the WS. These two projects came into existence to fill out a total of six entries of recent, and most advanced artworks. I spent all these many months making major upgrades that pushed this artwork hard ahead. All this time was spent to complete the ARC Gallery submission for a solo show. It was close but I was able to submit in time my application for the third time to this interesting Chicago Gallery.

The results were to be sent by July 12th. I received an email on July 31st. In the time delay, I knew I had to make it in the top group, not expecting to have yet convinced the Juror at the ARC Gallery that it was my turn to have what Andy Warhol called “……everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” Another 40 dollars spent to get the simple message that the establishment art does not think I am yet ready for primetime.

RC Gallery Solo Show 2026 Results
Rolling in the Deep (Left) and on the right side: And So It Is (The Blowers Daughter)

On August 2nd to the 4th my AI, Mr. Brightside, and I had this conversation. Here is the Brightside edited summary of our exchange. This summary is based on my requests and I was the final editor in charge of what is printed here.

Even in my videos, no matter how I try to articulate just what a visitor or a viewer might see in these artworks, it seems I am still not there yet, in explaining why you the visitor needs to “push” the green button and to look at the depth of these artworks, because there is a lot to absorb. Since I stubbornly support this art, let me explain why, once again. I first moved from being the next Ansel Adams to the next Jackson Pollock, or Mark Rothko — a strange ending for both. Instead, how about the next Vincent Van Gogh? Wait, that also ended badly. The next Picasso, then — but I am no Picasso. I am more a messenger for this art style of creating portraits of songs. I say this because I do not see myself as an artist. Somehow it feels like a poor fit. I painted in the mid 1970s and returned in early 2006 when I realized I could take my feelings towards art and music, and combine my efforts into a new way of looking or seeing, or feeling, touching music, or whatever reason I’ve landed on over these 20+ years of painting and music.
Today, these two artworks finally connect the artwork and the speaker cover music the way I’d been wanting. This is because these two works are the first to have installed a third speaker. A 5×7 inch speaker on And So It is and a true subwoofer of 6.5 inches on Rolling in the Deep. That third speaker added a bass range my artwork had been missing. In music, bass is critical — it’s the foundation most sound sits on. Before these two works, that foundation wasn’t there. To explain what I said is another talk for another blog post. For now, I am finally done….. and now I can restart my enthusiasm for another great song to have its portrait created and heard.

I Hayden to List, but I must Mozart along.

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Image three of Into My Arms

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

Into My Arms is moving along. Here I am showing the later progress of this project that was started on July 13th if the creation of the cover music. Today’s writing is July 25th and the visual is complete. Up next is the building and installing of the stereo system.

Into My Arms on July 22nd

Here are two quick images of the progress being made on Into My Arms. The visual artwork is done. The difference in these images is that the latter one has all what I simply call “incidentals” put in place. Beyond my circle notes and their stems the only other consistent notational symbols that I apply to these artworks are incidentals, example being sharps or flats, beams or flags for single notes, and dots. Those symbols and any other symbols I may add to an artwork have only one purpose, and that is to add interest to the artwork. They are there to support visually the up and down motion of the sample of the artist’s cover music.

On July 24th, I finished the visual part of this project.
Stereo system pieces

I have already built the music boxes, installed the speakers, and assembled the removable system support board for the stereo system.

I know this type of information feels unnecessary, but the main purpose of the bog site remains what it has been for the last fourteen years: to document the progress of this art. So it does.

The backside of the artwork Into My Arms.

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Love Theme (Cinema Paradiso) final

Published on by Scott Von Holzen
Studio Image
Love Theme (Cinema Paradiso)
≈ L41.5″x H35.5″x D6.5″

The title of this latest music box is “Love Theme.” The Upper canvas mounts this artwork onto the wall. Written in cursive Italian across the upper canvas are letters and words deliberately made difficult to recognize. Those words are from the artwork’s cover music. The lower larger canvas than hangs from the smaller canvas using a coated wire. Using cursive writing, the repeating flow of words written on the main canvas represents the lyrics that the artwork is sampling. Rising above the canvas, held onto the artwork with magnets, is the artist’s own form of notation. Its up and down flow represents the melody of the words written on the canvas. This artwork exists to present to a viewer a short cover music of a great song. A song that stands out in its use of melody, harmony, and lyrics if you understand Italian.

A reflection about this art and the music box, Love Theme.

Scott Von Holzen

The artist’s cover music for the music box, Love Theme.

I should explain that on my website scottvonholzen.com and on my Portfolio for EmptyWallsArt, I edit down my cover music to 30 seconds. Both sites I define as commercial websites and to meet (any ones guess) copyright rules I provide only a sample of the artworks music. But, this .org site purely exists to tell and document the story of this art. That is its sole purpose that began with the first post in early 2010, onward. And since there is between nothing and near zero public interest in this story, I am going to put it all out there in the details of this art and in my words. Just in case someday this art finds its light.

If I would offend the owners of the music on my .org site, of course I will comply. It is not my music. I did not write it. And yet this art is solely mine. It states clearly my passion for great music. As an art I have always defined it as creating a portrait of a song. Maybe over many years from now, a viewer will find one of these artworks, and by some miracle he or she will press the green button and the music will play. And they, as I do each time I listen, maybe feel the same sensation as I do: “Wow, that was good.” And therefore a song, maybe long forgotten, will again be a harmonic curiosity for a new generation of music appreciators. A piece of music that rings in their heads. This art will reach forward because this art presents itself to the listener in multiple ways.

The artist’s choice of music begins as always, with his attention to three major give-and-take components of a song: melody, harmony, and lyrics. These three features awaken this artist’s interest in a piece of music. But other features of music, such as rhythm, originality, emotional impact, the story of the music, or the story of the artist who created the music, provide additional support. If everything adds up, I can then justify my time, money and effort. That is all there is to it. Unlike 100 percent of artists around me (I have never met another me), this art is not about money. This art has always been about the music, and using my time, my money, and my effort to continue what was so in 2006 still is in 2024.

Scott Von Holzen