Artist Statement
My landscape based work focuses on liminal spaces; spaces that look at the ambiguous line between what is manmade and what is natural; spaces that lie between as they transition between one thing to the next, from farmland to a housing development, from a housing development to a vacant lot, from open space to a designated wilderness. I use the assessable language of landscape painting with the knowledge that landscape is always cultural, always present, and a process that bears with it a history that shapes the way we see and use the space around us.
My work has always dealt with the question of how to represent landscape in a way that is both visually engaging and critically aware of important issues concerning land use. I am compelled towards simplicity in a world that so often chooses needless complexity and thus I have found that a simplification of compositional elements, a series of horizontal bands, subltly shifting, layered color, or compositions of a few lines to create space, all have the desired effect of creating contemplative spaces that question how we use and perceive land. We are separated from what we are seeing not just by a space at the bottom of each canvas but in how we actually relate to the larger world around us. In my newest work I am employing the metaphor of a square lake or square reflection that intrudes into the landscape. These twilight images are again transitional between human made and natural, attractive yet ugly, uneasy yet peaceful. They flirt with the Narcisiss myth; a reflection of the fiction of human control over the land.
How we treat the world is a direct product of how we choose to represent it. My work is a critical look at how we choose to represent the world for better or worse. They are paintings of spaces of potential. As an artist it is my job to engage fully with my community, allow that engagement to inform my work, and thus allow my work to spur positive action within that community. Redline provides the space and resources that cannot easily be found elsewhere. It quite simply is a connection and a way to immerse myself within the Denver community at large.
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New Gallery
Just for fun, check out the new palette gallery I just put up. I'm not really sure what purpose it serves. I was just going through my studio when my palette stack caught my eye. I don't regularly clean them, yikes, and they are usually helpful when trying to remember how I mixed something years back. Some of them are pretty dusty so the color is not always great. - BC
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The Dutch and the Three Bears
Reflections on Vermeer
01-08-2008
I’ve become obsessed with Vermeer, continually pouring over reproductions, seeking books with better color, better details, more information, less information. I’ve become Goldilocks, continually seeking a Vermeer that's "just right”. In this frantic, porridge tasting fashion of looking I’ve slowly come to rethink how exactly a painting should function. Vermeer’s ability to continually invite a sustained and better look, to walk a razor thin edge between absence and presence, amazes me to no end. His paintings summon a kind of deep reflection, a doorway into other avenues of thought. Of course it is this process of ransacking the bears' house of Art History that I’ve been taught to think this way. These really aren’t my words or thoughts; these in a Goldilocks fashion, I’ve borrowed. Steve Barry, Edward Snow, Lawrence Weschler, and others have taught me to see Vermeer. It is through their passion and insight into that I’ve come to such a deep appreciation. I can only wonder what it would be like to come to these thoughts on my own, to stumble upon “The Lace maker” in the Louvre and “get it” as they say. However it is refreshing to know that I can still alter how I see, that even if I’m borrowing Papa Bears glasses, I can still see things anew. The danger of course is that in the end I could get eaten.
Recommended Readings on Vermeer:
Vermeer in Bosnia, Lawrence Weschler (actually is collection of essays that included stuff on Hockney, Kienholtz, Tina Barney, and others, probably one of the best books I’ve read in a long time)
A Study of Vermeer, Edward Snow
Vermeer, Martin Bailey (best reproductions and details)
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Ask an Apron or This Could Get Messy
First Time Visitor to Williams and Sonoma Leaves Scared and Confused
All the employees wear aprons leaving the savvy consumer to assume that something messy is about to happen. The message, BE ALERT!!, and buy copper pots. They sell food themed CDs and music themed cook books. Finally my BBQ can taste like Jazz and my music can sound like meat. Someone up there likes me!!! Ask an apron why a 4 by 10 inch cutting board cost $69.99 and watch them excitedly tell you, "Because it's olive wood!" Is that better than pine? Of course, and its handmade. Only poor people would want a machine made board. One could see how messy this could get. Where are the aprons again? There's a $2000 espresso machine with a little eagle on top. Ask an apron if you can opt for a model with a much larger eagle and watch them quickly scurry away. Eventually the realization sinks in that these aprons no longer take you seriously and it's time to leave. On a positive note I found part time holiday work. The cost of my apron will be deducted from my first paycheck. Yea!!!!
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Free beaucarey.com T-Shirts to First Responders
01-08-2008
Alyson Carey and Cedra Wood will be receiving free beaucarey.com T-Shirts for their responses to the Ugly Feedback Forum. We cannot thank them enough for their continued input and support. Thanks ladies. This also a good chance to announce that due to popular demand beaucarey.com merchandise is on it's way. Keep your eyes peeled.
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Little Drummer Boy
A clip of Jazz Drummer Buddy Rich and Animal from the Muppets. Boom.
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Feedback Comes to the News
Click on the Ugly Feedback Forum below and let beaucarey.com know what you think. Some sort of blog-type comment structure thing will hopefully be added in the future. For now this much less user friendly and ugly message board thing will have to do.
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Beaucarey.com's News Section a Resounding Success
Skeptics remain slightly to moderately skeptical
A recent visitor to the site remarked how informative they found the new news section on beaucarey.com. "Look", a wide-eyed visitor gasped, "news!" Some have remained more hesitant. "How do we know just what news is?" one Alyson Carey of Albuquerque, NM asked. Beau Carey of beaucarey.com could only muster in response, "This right here, this is news ". One thing remains for sure, from the look of things at beaucarey.com there will probably be more of this, news.
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Talking 'bout My Generation: An Apology
Popularity of Swear Words in Songs Rapidly Declining Among Baby-Boomers and the Elderly
Beau Carey and beaucarey.com would like to take this opportunity to apologize to the visitors who were recently offended by the Zefrank video posted in our news section. Zefrank is a colorful guy whom I believe lives in New York, a port town full of sailors. His use of profanity while hilarious could be interpreted by some as excessive, even when cleverly employed in song. Honestly I thought he was saying "fork". Listening again, however, it does make more sense the other way. This is also a good opportunity to announce the new Apology Section of the News, detailing a weekly (or more, if needed) list of apologies. And finally the Zefrank video will not be removed it will now however bear a disclaimer advising my grandmother and mother not to listen.
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I thought I'd give a Zefrank clip a try for the old news. I particularly like this one. More later, hope you enjoy.
Not Grandmother or Mother Approved
The Clip Below Contains Profanity
Specifically and repeatedly the F*word and in song.
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