WOW. It has been a long time since I have remembered to put something important up here. Probably because I have been transitioning my life from full-time student to full-time artist/designer/illustrator. I have found a great job and niche in Des Moines at a company named SMASH. The Des Moines Art Festival was surprisingly interesting this year. Many of the previous years had left me asking myself "why?" to some of the people that were featured. The emerging artists section is usually my favorite, but it seemed there were a few artists that had similar work in that area of the festival. An awesome person found an artist that works with stencils Mark Traughber and purchased a small piece by him for me (how sweet), thank you. I really feel that I should get in there next year. It is pretty high traffic and there would be a lot of exposure. I kinda drew away from the festival circuit in a conscious effort so that I would not gravitate towards making work that was universally pleasing for everyone, it's not my thing. My co-worker and good friend Stefan Hansen has agreed to work on my website, finally, after me taking about it for the past two years. Having a website is impressive to many gallery owners and collectors, so it is much needed. It feels like now is the time to get one, being that I am finished with school. We bought the domain name to www.vanholmgren.com and www.vanimal.com, both names will go to the same page. I will be posting some new work once it is done, I am flying low and just taking everything in before I attempt to put mind to canvas/work.

Show Going up at Barnes & Noble in WDSM

JUST FINISHED A NEW PIECE TO GO UP AT A SMALL SHOW I AM HAVING AT THE BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSTORE IN WEST DES MOINES (THE ONE BY MACARONI GRILL AND ROCK BOTTOM BREWERY)
IT SHOULD BE FUN, CINDY THE PR LADY SAID THEY WILL HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC OVER THE WEEKEND DUE TO BOOK SIGNINGS. YOU SHOULD ADD TO THAT FOOT TRAFFIC AND STOP OUT, YOU COULD EVEN GRAB A BOOK! SOMEONE MENTIONED "THE TIME TRAVELLER'S WIFE" TO ME THE OTHER DAY, SAID I WOULD PROBABLY LIKE IT, I DON NOT LIKE BEING PREDICTABLE... BUT I'LL GET IT. THESE PAINTINGS THERE ARE GOING TO BE WAY CHEAP ALSO, SO THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO GET SOMETHING DONE BY ME IN YOU HOME!

THE BEST BAND I EVER SAW WITH MY OWN TWO EYES//MAN MAN

This was the best show i have ever been to.
MAN MAN's shows are absolutely insane, not like Girl Talk sweaty insane, just hanging from the rafters balls-out nuts.
I sometimes have a craving to see them soon, much like a hankering to eat chocolate.

ELECTRIC FEEL//MGMT

i have had this song in my head for days, i heard it a while back and all of the sudden, something triggers it.
maybe it is the funky porn groove it has... dunno

UPCOMING ART SHOW IN MN

i am planning on going to this in april.
SCION INSTALLATION
FIVE
TOUR
me and some friends of mine were in a show at the rogue buddha gallery in minneapolis, so another trip to visit kevin and the other owners sounds grand.

INTERMEDIA TWO// ARTIST INTRODUCTION

      "I'VE LOVED OWLS EVER SINCE I WROTE A POEM ABOUT THEM"

                                                                    -UNKNOWN BOY OUTSIDE OF PETCO 

      "YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE RULES BEFORE YOU CAN BREAK THEM"

-RYAN McGINNESS 

    MY WORK// ACRYLIC// SPRAY PAINT// STENCILS// 

    ON FOUND WOOD

"I LOVE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN OBJECTS AND SYMBOLS. HOW A SYMBOL OR ICON STANDING ALONE IS WHAT IT IS. HOWEVER, WHEN PLACED NEXT TO ANOTHER OR SERIES OF OTHER UNRELATED SYMBOLS, THEIR MEANINGS CHANGE AND START TO RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER. THERE IS A REASON THEY ARE PLACED TOGETHER... I AM TRYING TO GET AT THAT IDEA."      _VAN HOLMGREN

                                   BARE MEDIUM// AAC// WALL DETAIL

                                   WHEAT PASTE//PAPER//DES MOINES
                                   MAN AND BEAST No. 2//
     BARE MEDIUM//AAC//INSTALLATION
                                   SOLDIER OF FORTUNE//
                                            SOLDIER OF FORTUNE// AAC// WALL DETAIL
                                                                  GOODNIGHT...GOODNIGHT//
                                             STAND BY YOU WOMAN//
                                   BACKYARD BUSINESS//
                                                       LONG TIMES//
                                                       BRANDY & WINE//
                                   THE MISTREATMENT OF BEALE//
                                   YOUR PARENTS//
                   FERDINAND THE LIAR//
                                               S.O.S.//
                                                BEEHIVE ON HIGH ALERT//

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

LOW BROW ELITE

 

Resident Artists are please to present Low Brow Elite, a newshow featuring a collection of up and coming local artists working outside the realm of the inside art world. Low brow art is usually usedto describe an underground movement. What starts out as a movement becomes a trend and then somehow loses its purity or becomes sold out. Resident artists beg the question: If this is art for the people, whyare you trying to put it on a pedestal?

Resident Artists: Low Brow Elite

September 12, 2008 - 5:30-8:30 PM

Gateway Lofts -1719 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA

Featuring The artwork of

Michelle Holley, Kyle Thye, Cat Rocketship, Alex Kuno, Patrick Cooney, Cool Aid, Chip

and collaboration work by Brent Houzenga and Van Holmgren

Sculpture by Annick Ibsen

Music by Scented Vinyl, Lindsay Donovan and The HoneyBees

FREE

Also Available to view by appointment.

Oxymoron Afterparty at Vaudeville Mews Featuring live painting all night by resident artists and musical performances by

Gaiden Gadema, Cleo’s Apartment, The HoneyBees, Lindsay Donovan and Hold For Swank

Doors at 9

$5

Come to the opening at the Gateway Lofts and learn how to get into the after party for free

Sponsored by Gateway Lofts and Gateway Market

   /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

ANKENY ART CENTER

May Exhibits Feature Two Emerging Artists

Ben Shuh in Main Gallery May 1- June 14

Van Holmgren in Side Gallery May 1-June 14

 

Van Holmgren’s show “Bare Medium” opens May – June 14 in the Art Center’s Side Gallery.  Holmgren describes his canvas as “discarded lumber that you may have thrown in the trash.” Holmgren plans to create an installation in the Side Gallery that will challenge the viewer to consider the colors, designs, drawings on both the piece and the wall and think of them as complements to the natural wood.

 Holmgren, Des Moines, said of his art, “Ever since I was a younger person, I have had a fascination with the layering and overlap of murals, graffiti, and old signage. The seemingly unrelated images interact with one another and become a complete idea. There is a reason why they were placed near one another, I am trying to capture that.”

 Holmgren’s reception is Saturday, May 17 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Ankeny Art Center.  Public and media are invited to meet the artist and enjoy  hors d’ oeuvres and wine.

////////////////////////////////// INTERMEDIA FUTURE ////////////////////////////////////

I WANT TO EXPLORE THE EFFECTS OF LIGHTING AND THE DIFFERENT WATTS THAT A LIGHT BULB CAN RUN AT

THE IDEA OF POWER AND IDEAS THAT A LIGHT BULB REPRESENTS