After everyone had pretty much left the gallery – we had a few photos with Dan & Trish in the Gallery at the Blackstone Winery.

I think the picture hints at what a beautiful space this is to have an art show. The opening was a lot of fun and the art was universally well received. Comments ranged from “Spectacular!” to “that painting belongs in the MOMA“. There are 35 original pigment prints hung in this exhibition and it will remain up until mid August.

Since Trish and I are getting married the first week in August we are hoping to share the show with our out of town guests. Trish has a smaller showing of her double-exposure photography in the corridor to the gallery – so it is really extra fun for those who know us both.

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

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

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

More Remote Tree – digital painting for original prints – Dan Beck 2008

When I have painted this tree in the past – it has always been by memory and impression – this is no exception – the seasons have been changing – grasses growing and leaf base is quite a bit stronger.

To me the work has an impressionistic feeling with a rather clear digital component – even if the medium is intended to take a back seat to the content of the painting.

Observing the changing tree over time makes for an interesting group of work – or at least an interesting puzzle and interesting in that each one so far has been created without referencing the previous versions until after completion.

Limits are good – my rules are to not intervene with photos and not try to block my own understanding – hoping to impart the feeling which has prompted the painting in the first place.

See Also

• Original Prints – discussion of digital painting and original nature of prints at Outhouse Studios
  
• An Artist Needs Limits – discussion of the importance of limits for the creative process

Further Along Tree 1 – Dan Beck – digital art painting 2008

This digital painting was finished over a month ago. The previous article showing the version of this painting which felt finished, balanced, and worth saving, – based upon the piece itself and not the original vision; was written over two weeks ago.

I guess it is rather apparent that my writing is not keeping up with my creating. Actually I find everything takes longer than expected – my head is generally way ahead of my physical world – but then that makes sense. How could matter move as fast as thought?

And why do we expect things to take the time we think things will take – even if we have done something before – it might take more or less time – circumstances are always different.

But most of us, including myself, have expectations about how long even things we have never done will take.

The finished painting above matched my concept and vision more closely as well as my expected timeline for doing a painting – there is more texture, more depth, more visual confusion – and more what I had in mind to begin with -

What is wonderful about art and life – is that sometimes the head gets to follow the body – follow the physical world – and sometimes the timetable of the physical world is smarter than the head.

See Also

• Timing Innovative Music – previous article about time and timing and sharing my own creativity
• Time Expectations – though I do not completely share the capitalistic sentiments, I whole-heartedly concur that our expectations affect the timeline of completing a project
• Digital Art Prints – about art prints, digital painting, and what it means for outhouse studios to produce original prints

Horizon 4 - Digital Painting 2006

Having posted the first two tracks of the “Red Eye Recordings” – a music project that is intended to be listened to in order (for the most part) because there is a story to be told; it is time to introduce the third track with some explanation.

The song – “Money is too important” is about the necessity and the change it brings about – the nature of seeking satisfaction from things or consumerism – How much is enough? – always more than one has – and my observations on how often having money changes people.

And of course, having said that – it is my need as well, to have money to live on and continue to produce my art and music.

I am offering these tracks free – and will continue to – but eventually plan on making it possible to contribute to the outhouse studio fund -

The songs are about my observations – about life – about capitalism – about equality – about sickness – about letting go -

It is both too personal and somehow improper to put a price on -

Listen or View

• Money Is Too Important – Dan Beck  2006- to quote the song “I’d like less worrying, though I am not at all bad off, I’d like less worrying, like everyone I’ve known”
• Credit to Johnny Mandel and Mike Altman – for MASH melody and lyrical reference – nothing is created in a vacuum and I kept hearing their lyrics and melody in the music
• Horizon 4 – current art print availability for above digital art and its original prints

Play Print 1 with Dog – digital art painting – Dan Beck 2008

This is a very recent piece of digital art – playing around with a new template – hoping to introduce a new option for sharing art – more interested in the template size and corresponding original prints than the actual painting.

As a result, I have approached this work as the title suggests – from the point of play. Despite the play – and the landscape painted with abandon – it wreaked of a particular area I had been taking my dog, Bogart, to get some exercise.

Though he probably should have been scampering around the hillside – I ended up putting him in the corner pushing my brand or symbol around – kind of indicative of our relationship I guess – teaching him that I am in charge yet him pushing and resisting most of the way.

some sort of weird karma – reminds me of myself when I was adolescent… and sometimes still am

See Also

• Digital Art – ambiguities, distinctions, and open ended meaning of digital art
• Sharing Art – search result finds blog – nice image – traced from a photo – not at all like my work – but creativity needs to be encouraged
• Tour of Youth Arts Collective – art fosters problem solving and thinking outside the box – I have seen the yaksters work and I it points more towards the kind of world we need …

digital art (painting) - 2 Much 2 Control – Dan Beck 2008

I have started work on a new project – which has lead to a new sized template and as a result a more fluid and playful way of creating. Not totally sure where the idea came from – but that is the nature of ideas – if one lets the mind wander and don’t rule things out before you even think about them – you find something even better as you progress.

On the path, one is always trying to take things to the next level – always striving for a new twist. My desire for a new template was one thing – but the resulting play and at least the look of this piece is a bit different and a nice side benefit.

The tree concept is just about as old as I am – one of the first things I ever committed successfully to paper – I find myself painting often when I am playing – and taking walks to give my dog the running exercise he needs has made me notice some incredible trees.

The solidness of the foreground tree – is about how we focus our attention – but also something that worked most successfully in a recently shown piece. The title is both about attitude towards world these days and the nature of trying to paint on an old computer with a template that is a bit too big for its memory. I used two different computers to create this piece because the old one – just couldn’t compute.

See Also

• Digital Art – just proving that the multiple meanings of language are also a bit too much to control
• Frozen PB&J – not particularly related – but part of that creating solutions to problems which don’t really exist – and a fun result for “just couldn’t compute”

Remote Tree – digital art painting – Dan Beck 2008

I am working on a new project which I am not quite ready to reveal – but should be coming along rather quickly. Until I get the pieces in place, I am keeping a bit of a lid on it.

Like a lot of the art I do – I like that moment of unveiling – that moment when the image becomes printed – that tad bit of out of control and luck which can be better or worse, but is mostly better than one anticipates.

This is one of the first images from a new template which I am most excited about – size wise. This image was about a specific tree – a place – a feeling – more than an actual – but also about fitting the new project. I believe I have improved upon the template since and it will prove to be an invaluable size – opening up many new doors for a larger range in the size of art prints.

In any event, this digital painting was fun enough to warrant sharing – and so I am.

See Also

• Treework – first tree image with digital medium – still strong – but certainly not as developed with the medium. Innocence is worth noting
• Moment of Unveiling – a strange link to be sure – but google keeps getting more interesting in its results – part of a book by Nietzsche – one of my favorite (though unfortunately misunderstood) philosophers
• Opening New Doors – not so related but an interesting read and another link between art and life