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Weaving Meaning

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

original flat racing witness

Flat Racing - original digital art -Dan Beck 2007

Always a good feeling to create a work of art which not only captures what you are trying to communicate, but feels like it is original art - particularly in the sense of standing apart from other peoples’ work.

Not sure which day, yesterday or the day before, that I saw the three workers running with their flats - not so much a competition since they clearly had not started running from the same place - but they were boogieing up the rows of berries. Don’t know if it was a pick and run event or just an impromptu breaking up the monotony of the day.

I don’t think I would personally last too long out there picking berries - long hours bent over picking - but this looked more like a fun race rather than the piece work shuffle. This was camaraderie not rushing to get paid.

I am glad I got to witness the strawberry flat racing - it lifted my spirits too.

See Also

• Base of the Mountain - another light look at strawberry picking - but more the way it looked than the way it is
• Strawberry Ricotta Fool - not sure how my parallel searching arrived here - but just makes you think how far a distance from field to table

Creating Acceptability

Light Shining Thru - digital painting / original prints - Dan Beck 2005

Categories are not always helpful - they don’t help with treating people like individuals and they don’t always help with understanding what goes into making a particular work of art.

Technology and timing add a dimension to all art that is almost always controversial. The classical guitar was not considered more than a folk instrument until Andres Segovia came along.

Digital art is a bit like that - but perhaps even more confusing. In doing an image search for digital painting, I discovered four different takes on what that means in the first four sites I followed links to.

Whether one starts with a digital photo and manipulates it, simply scans or digitally photographs an image, creates from a blank screen, or combines these in some variation; it seems everyone wants to use the terms.

I don’t think the beat box warrants the appreciation of a real drummer - but it is not without requiring some skill just by setting the speed and rhythm.

I find myself bouncing back and forth about all these things. On the one hand, I respect the discipline and development of the skills to create. On the other hand, I would like to be able to appreciate art just for what it is without regard to how it is created.

See Also

• Original Prints - additional explanation about what makes original art at Outhouse Studios and the category breaking concepts
• New and free prints on images and original pictures - digital prints are not defined at all - altered photos - paintings from scratch? - the artist has clearly not spent the kind of time with this type of work as with his painting and obviously values it much less since he is giving them away with the purchase of his paintings
• Digital Paintings and Photo Illustrations - very different work than mine - but quite fun and the artist distinguishes where his work comes from - I value that - but given my findings - it probably matters little at this point

time equates to value - should art stand on its own?

Hoe Dance - digital painting / art prints- Dan Beck - 2005

I think it is pretty obvious that my artwork is not starting from a photo. I think by definition digital painting is starting from scratch. But I also think the lines are blurred.

On the one hand, a work of art or music for that matter should stand on its own - one likes it or doesn’t. On the other hand, it seems to have more value as we grasp the amount of time that has gone into the preparation (study and practice) and the actual amount of time spent on a piece.

The general formula and thinking is the more time the more valuable - an equation like we use for most work in our world. Curiously, some of my best music and best art comes quickly at the time - but that does not take anything away from the work which lead up to it.

I am sure that I have taken some shortcuts along the way - I think that actually is normal . But I am proud of the work I have done to hone my skills and develop my vocabulary in both art and music - it is not pressing a button for a bass line or tracing a photo as the author of this article (which prompted today’s discussion) was so disturbed by.

But as much as I believe in my developed skills and taste, I want my work to stand on its own.

See Also

• Creative Fine Art…Is It Or Isn’t It? - article which prompted today’s blog - artist is unhappy that tracing should be even considered on the same level as fine art. I’m not sure how I got on this magazine’s mailing list.
• artSIG » Approaching a digital painting……… - another artist defends digital painting as a viable and valuable medium
• Hoe Dance - art print options for above digital painting