Monterey Bay Colors – Dan Beck – February 2009

On certain days, there is an incredible green glow that comes from the ocean when the sun shines through.  In the month of February, the ocean – at least on this particular day – was an incredible shade of blue.

I have taken great liberties with the way I have painted the sand dunes, painted the ocean, painted the structures which butt out from the land on old Ford Ord just west of  Hiway 1  – not sure if it is Marina or Seaside – but this is not important.

What is important to me and was at the time of painting this – is the intensity of color – the remarkable show that I have never seen quite the same elsewhere.  What are these Fall colors doing in the midst of such a tropical colored ocean show?

I share this today because of the strength with which this piece is painted.

See Also

• Tropical CD Cover Art – the colors reminded me of some other art where one can “put oneself in the scene”
• Another Example – also from the same cd cover project – good album too
• Fall Color – a painting of mine by that name – oddly a passing California vineyards image

Eucalyptus View – painting – Dan Beck 2009

This is the most recent finished painting I have done.  I am no longer particularly current on my blogging and am not sure if or when I will become so again. I’ve done a lackluster job of trying to engage people -

A blog is supposed to be a place for people to comment and interact and create something more than what is written by the author. I suppose my tendency is to write a little too much to myself – or write in a way that doesn’t invite comment – and of course – it probably would help if I tried to create an audience by actually inviting people to read my articles and then to comment… by the way – please feel free.

I chose the subject above because of the drama of looking through the giant Eucalyptus trees to the fields beyond – a scene I viewed driving as a passenger on the 101 south of Salinas before you get to King City.

I think on a deeper level it is also a metaphor for how we see ourselves – on what should we focus? – expressions that come to mind :  one can’t always see the forest through the trees … it is hard to see through the growth…

I don’t care where you are in life – it is next to impossible to see oneself the way others see us.

My biggest fan was always my mother – today would have been her 90th birthday – had she lived that long. Eucalyptus was a favorite of hers – I thought of both these things only as I finished this article.

Listen or View

• Digital Art – since this is an example of painting on the computer, get a further understanding of how non descriptive this term really is
• Has Life Turned a Corner – written a couple weeks after my mother died (almost seven years ago) and the eve of having to put my dog down – damn – Sure glad I don’t feel this way now! – but I do still like the song  and do still miss those who are gone
• Forest Through the Trees – found this silk painting by some search results – don’t know the artist but I do like the image of the silk painting – perhaps you will too

Hillside Fun – digital art – Dan Beck 2008

One of the things I have improved on over the years is paying attention to the composition – so that a piece works both large and small.  With digital art – there is not necessarily an optimum size and certainly not a one and only size.

As I have taken on this medium, I keep trying to do work which utilizes the attributes which are unique to creating art on the computer. Stepping back is done by minimizing the size – and getting up close is done by magnifying.

Once a work is printed, I find they are generally stronger as they get large enough to see the detail found when creating the piece.  Texture and overlap of color come into their own in a way that is really only hinted at by a monitor screen – but yet again – seeing on a monitor may actually be closer than with a photo of a more traditional form of art.

See Also

Original Art – discussion of what it means particulary in the context of digital painting and prints on demand

Changing Landscape of Traditional Art – an internet search yielded an interesting thought but not sure if the internet has changed our access to this degree

Gray Fields – Dan Beck 2008

On an overcast day in Salinas -  a few weeks ago – was a lot of planting going on – through plastic covered rows of dirt – ready to become next year’s strawberries.  Though I understood what I was seeing – this digital painting is more stylized than detailed.

The fields are gray – the day is gray – and yet it felt very peaceful.

It fits with the distance I was viewing and the pace I was driving – much faster than the pace of life today.

The plasticized fields are both ugly and beautiful all at the same time – the decision to paint it I think rests upon these clearly coexisting opposites.

See Also

• Impressionist Art Gallery – commentary on the inspiration and intent of this type of imagery and other earlier works

Abstract 2 – digital art painting with time limit – Dan Beck 2008

Recently I wrote a song about there not being enough hours in the day, the night, or a lifetime to do it all – and certainly not enough hours to do it all right.

So basically we have time limits on everything we do – whether we realize it or not.

So I guess my conclusion is to be a little less of a perfectionist and not take the adage about doing things right the first time to heart – because there is no such thing – no artwork is every done – no fix is permanent …

All of our efforts are more like “treatments” if you will – we make an adjustment and it improves things and then needs another adjustment.

I’ve been trying to limit the time for various tasks in my life – even works of art – when the rule strikes my fancy -

For after all – even the rules are like a treatment – needing readjustments as we go along.

See Also

• Digital Painting – insight into the art form and process of creating by Dan Beck at Outhouse Studios
• Managing Perfectionism – there is good insight here – my focus is a bit different because the process for me has always been about gaining a certain level of expertise – enough vocabulary or technique to express myself or determine it isn’t my thing – but focus can be very focused to very broad- we can be extremely specialized experts to dabblers in everything

digital art – 2 Much 2 Control – Dan Beck 2008

When I wrote about this digital painting before – I focused on the process and the secondary success not conceived of with the original goal in mind.  There are always secondary gains or successes which were not intended – just as in life.

I like to think that my work is innovative art – that I am always pushing the limits of the medium or my own limits – the limits of my audience which of course includes myself.  If I am doing my job correctly, I will not necessarily appreciate some of the things I do right away… a strange paradox really.

All art comes from somewhere else – all music, all dance, all theatre etc. is not created in a vacuum, but is built upon what is already found elsewhere in culture.  A term I have come to appreciate more than even originality or innovation is authenticity – whether the art is authentic or genuine – coming from the place of being done because it has to be – where appreciation and regard are not a thoughtful consideration.

Innovative – I think, is more about being ahead of the curve …

See Also

• Shape of Something New – a previous departure from the art I was doing at the time – but a road I didn’t travel down – and one which seemed too familiar and previously traveled by others – but a piece I like nonetheless
• Ahead of the Curve – this article takes the curve for granted – career with money
• Ahead of the Curve – clips from university musicians – some authentic – some cloning … obviously originality and innovation are difficult to measure – work that is too different has always been poorly received

Hillside Spin – digital art – Dan Beck 2007

I thought it was time to bring out another of the tracks from the Red Eye Recordings last spring – the unconscious mind is a fascinating thing.

The original song is called  “Global Warming” – a joke really – cause there really isn’t a whole lot the song has to do with the topic – just “How come we are sitting in the shade?”  – but as I quickly browsed an image file – looking only at titles – no dates – I thought that the above digital painting rather captures the song – not even sure exactly why – but as it turns out – it was created just about the same time as the song was written – I knew without remembering.

Also interesting – was my own personal quote in the article – something I thought about just yesterday out of the blue -

the dots often connect in conjunction with my life – there is always meaning in the timing – things don’t happen at the speed I expect them to – but when they do – it is always amazing how many things fit together to build a richer meaning.

Writing music works in this same way – a song’s lyrics and music develop like these hills – building until the ending kind of folds into the beginning – spinning back upon itself…

Listen or View

• Global Warming – a song about life – these spinning connections – dog/me/past/future/expectations/potential/timing/ – partner having cigarette withdrawals – me needing to withdraw – and played with a flourish – just one guitar and vocals – and an extra pass for backup vocals – Dan Beck 2007 – Alone and Contagious – written during the recording sessions
•  Price of meaning – every bit as ridiculous as the conceptual creation of an artwork and article entitled “Meaning” – because of the comical implications of doing such an internet search – prices for original art prints of the above referenced work of art

Times Square 2 – digital art – Dan Beck 2008

I felt good about my first take on Times Square – but wanted to try to tackle the feeling again – a little more focus on the TV nature of the advertisements – still the bright color and overwhelming show – but hoping for the shape of the over the top media bombardment that is part of the fabric of life in the big city.

My life is normally situated in a more bucolic west coast – rolling hills – and farmland setting – so this is a departure from what feeds my art generally.  But what an incredible scene – the East Coast in general has such a great mix of old and new – quaint and over the top sensory bombardment – it feels like there are artistic touches everywhere.

In the Salinas Valley I am fed by nature and quick scenes which grab my attention – in the East – I was bombarded by lights – by life – by urban frenzy – and this for someone who lived back east (love that expression) for a major portion of my life.

See Also

• Digital Art – explanation of different meanings and more about what it means at Outhouse Studios
• Beautification or … the death of Times Square Eye Candy – stumbled upon this discussion about banning advertisement in San Paulo and a question of when have we gone too far…

Times Square Canyon – digital art – Dan Beck 2008

Visiting the East Coast this week …

I had been asked a couple of years ago to do a digital painting of Times Square – I thought about it – even googled some images but knew I hadn’t been there in so many years I couldn’t do it justice.

In general I like to work from my own impression and feeling of a place and then use the language and vocabulary of the digital medium which is at my disposal.

In this case, it is using the mouse pad and finger painting in an abstract manner to capture the feeling and enormity of the show of technology ads and bright lights of the city at night. In particular – looking up Broadway in what feels like a canyon of buildings and lights – jagged, beautiful, and bustling with moving lights and people.

It is a couple of days (or a couple of years) later – but this is also sometimes my custom…

See Also

• Digital Art – what does it mean – and the outhouse studios interpretation
• Other Artists’ Takes – some New York artists’ impressions of Times Square

My dog symbolically pushing me around.

It has been too blogging long since I have last contributed anything to the blogosphere – the unwritten rule I hold is to write at least once a week – once it was more – and may well be again.

Not too long ago – I wrote I would only write when I had something to say – something new.

So today I say – rules are often meant to be broken – meant to be changed – meant to be pushed against – meant to be rewritten and revitalized – until they need adjusting again.

Complacency is not a good thing – as my dog keeps reminding me.

Listen or View

• Red Eye 2 – introduction to part 2 of the Red Eye Recordings – original music, lyrics, and all performance – Dan Beck @ Outhouse Studios
• Unwritten Rules Fun – and the oxymoron of having them written down
• Other Music Projects – listen to tracks and clips of previous Outhouse Studios’ cd’s not found in Innovative Music channel of blog