Tag: musicbox

S_V_H The music box Closer image 1

Published on by Scott Von Holzen
The first layout plan at ten feet works with the 3.5-inch notes I cut out for this project. Then I decided I wanted to include the incidentals.
The second plan increases the length of the artwork to 11 feet using the 3.5-inch notes and adding in those incidentals.
This third design returns the artwork back to a final length of less than 10 feet. I removed two 12 x 24-inch canvases. See the second image. I then returned to my very first image plan using 10 x 20-inch canvases as their replacement. My size constraints required that I cut out all new notes, reducing their size to 3 inches in diameter. A later decision was to replace each of the two smaller end canvases with rectangular pieces of metal.

One design factor for this new work was that its length of 10 feet did not include the speaker boxes. Usually, the added speakers mount onto the ends of the artwork. I cannot do that here because of the requirements of fitting all the music on the canvases and still keeping the 10 feet length. The solution for the speaker boxes was to use the two 16×20 end canvases for the speaker boxes. The musical notes on those canvases I will then place on a curved metal sheet. I showed an example below from Metamorphosis 2. This keeps the overall length as is, while the curved metal sheet also adds depth to the artwork. After taking a longer look at the purpose artwork, I decided I needed to reduce its length, but still retain all the incidentals. I did this by reducing the size of my notes from 3.5 inches to 3 inches.

Example from Metamosphsis2 using curved steel plates.

This is an updated draft of the cover music for the music box Closer. The music has more punch and a better up-and-down flow to the music.

The final artwork will display the three last lines from the cover music. Those lyrical lines are “We are never getting older, We are never getting older, and No, we are never getting older.” I am repeating the repeating idea that I used in the previous project: Don’t Give up. In that work, I wrote those three words probably a couple of hundred times. That many repeats won’t happen here because of the length of the lines.

Include in this art’s documentation, I will attend a reception at The Art Garage in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Friday, the 11th from 5pm until whenever I become bored. Pictures to follow. Of the seven members of EmptyWallsArt, only two Don and I will be there. All the others are attending to “family matters and shabby excuses.”

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Don’t Give Up followup

Published on by Scott Von Holzen
Me with Don’t Give up at The Art Garage

This is the artwork now hanging at The Art Garage in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The hanging, with the help of my wife Barb, went quickly and smoothly. We only forgot to check the works level, which I see is off a bit. We will correct at the reception on August 11th. This artwork is part of an exhibition of EmptyWallsArt. The rest of the members will “caravan” it over to Green Bay on Friday the 4th. Don’t Give up along with many other 3D works by the members will be on show until September 2nd.

I do not except much response to this show. The exhibition goes public; I believe on Wednesday the 9th and as of August 3rd all I see on their website is the wrong date for the reception in the listing (right side).

The Art Garage upcoming exhibitions page

To quote ColdPlay, “Nobody said it was easy.”

Anyway, I am moving on. This next project is a recent (for me that means less than a decade old) pop hit by the Chainsmokers. The live version lacks a lot of punch, and the voicing is only okay. The studio version, of course, is what convinced me to let-it-roll on what will be another interesting and desired challenge.

Here is my very, very drafty 1minute 15 seconds cover version of this 4 minute song. I put this music together in one day, and of course it sounds like I did. This cover is good enough to where I can now turn to the designing of the artwork.

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Don’t Give Up first images

Published on by Scott Von Holzen
This is the frame for Don’t Give Up. For transporting, this artwork is in three sections, each 42 inches high by 48 inches.

Yes, if viewed closely, I have already written the words “don’t give up,” seventy-six times across all ten canvases. As mentioned in the previous blog entry (number 725) I am changing directions to enhance the meaning and the statement of the value of this art. Those repeating three words encourage that possibility.

As I mention in my previous blog post, I will remain with the group, EmptyWallsArt, even though my dream of what EmptyWallsArt should be no longer seems to be. In a response to that reality I have this new directional go-big-plan for this art, on the backside of this music’s sheet music.

This is the original drawing of the go-big-or-go-nowhere plan on the flip side of this project’s sheet music.

Earlier image of the cut and sanded Notes,3 3/4 x 1/4 inches, and the Stems 19 inches by 3/4 inches in depth.
The first image of the painted canvases with wording of the 8, 12 x 24 inches, and 2 12 x 36 inches framed canvases.
Color arrangement of canvases.
Canvases arrange for final look.
All three sections of the artwork finished
Up right image of final base.
Back side of frames. Left side shows wielders steel plate original idea from previous artwork One. Right side shows the much simpler and easier solution to mounting the plate to the base of the canvas.
Final backside look of the artwork showing how the metal plates and the music fitted with magnets will be attached.

For two days I pushed hard to move the idea of “going big,” from being words to massage an ego to a physical reality. That was a good accomplishment and a tribute to what drives this art forward is alive and well.

Here is a relatively recent live version of Peter Gabriel Don’t Give Up, first released in 1986.

Next up will be the painting of the music and then putting it together. That will be followed by building the 20 watt stereo system. For this size of stereo I have been using four-inch two-way speakers. Since the range of sound is important for this cover, I am trying out a pair of 5×7 inch two-way stereo speakers. I am not expecting they will be a huge improvement for the bass sound, but any improvement would be welcomed.

Scott Von Holzen