June Artwalk Featuring Bek Schatzke
Bek Schatzke has always created things. Although her medium and subjects have changed and multiplied over the years, tangibles like dance, jewelry, paper, photos, collages and writing. Painting had never been her passion, but throwing paint and flow art-creating splashes and paths of color while never knowing what the end result will look like-has been a challenge that she has found a new love for. Bek resides in Billings, MT with her husband and her best 4 legged friends.
Artist’s Statement:
My canvases are inspired by color. I love color. Pouring, dripping, throwing and firing acrylic paint in this element allows me to use color in ways I haven’t before. Vibrant color found in nature has been an inspiration to me as well. Through intense and volatile conditions, nature creates some stellar beauty.
I appreciate using recycled canvas any chance I get. When I sit to create a piece, I do have an idea of what design and what colors I want to be prominent but the reality is, I never know what the end result will look like. It almost never looks like what I had in my head. My idea of the design fades as I watch the paint move into contrasting lines and splashes of color. Fluid art is definitely fluid. Actually the mystery of what will be is one of the draws when I pour.
After my first couple sessions trying this flow method out, I realized that through chaos can come beauty. All these assorted colors mingled and transfused can create something that’s intricate and deep. From chaos comes beauty. That’s what I see when I look at my art.
My process changes little. I mix color and a flow medium and most often water. Sometimes I use silicon. I layer these mixed colors into a single vessel, or sometimes multiple vessels and then I begin to “color” the canvas. After I have layered paint onto the canvas I tilt it to begin to create designs. This is where the fire comes in. I warm up the paint with a small torch as I tilt. The paint layers separate and I can begin to see what the end result will be. I often heat certain areas of the canvas multiple times to enhance certain elements of the piece. Drying takes a day or two and then I decide which end is up. Sometimes it takes weeks to decide which end is up. Sometimes I hand paint features that I feel need to have more details. Creating colorful and asymmetric designs through fluid painting is relaxing and enjoyable to me. I often look at my canvases and see new surprises hiding in them. I hope you see something you like as well.
