"Colorado" by Clinton Begley

Serendipity and synchronicity are phenomena that I encounter often. You know those little instances when the cosmos aligns for a split second and a song apropos to to the moment plays on the radio, or a letter from an old friend is found the very moment they call you on the phone.

Begley

Whether you look upon these often inconsequential moments as luck, cosmic alignment, a blessing or having no meaning at all is personal choice, I suppose; but I’d suggest that when it comes to art, these elements can often be important ingredients to discovering fun and creative experiences. Often, it’s the accidental, the unexpected, or the uncontrollable elements that are catalysts for great things. While the serendipitous circumstance I’m about to describe certainly isn’t new, and definitely isn’t a great thing, it was fun and interesting and cheap. Dirt cheap in fact.

One night, after a visit to The Crossing Thrift Store on 36th street, I left $3 lighter with a wonderfully inadequate plastic 35mm camera in tow. Sporting some ornamental dial like protrusions and logo reading “St. Ives” on the front, the camera appeared to be some sort of promotional item that undoubtedly accompanied a 90’s era bath beads gift set or assortment of hand lotions. At least it had a “New Optical Lens” according to an inscription. Frankly, that phrase raised more questions than it answered.

Although the camera came loaded with film that I was excited to get developed out of pure voyeuristic curiosity, the back hatch promptly fell off the second I walked out of the store and ruined the entire roll. Bummer.

St.Ives Camera

After a brief lament over the death of what were surely long lost backstage photos from a sweet Night Ranger concert, I set on a quest to find some new film. A quick trip to Walgreen’s and a few inches of duct tape later, I was securely locked & loaded with a roll of B&W 400 film and a twinkle in my eye. I added a DIY 550 cord strap affixed to the camera’s eyelets via re-purposed paperclips and was off n’ shooting.

I snapped a few pictures here and there of nouns around my neighborhood, then displayed the plastic monster proudly on my living room shelf for a while. I told myself it was a strategically placed statement of defiance against the electrostocracy and beholden to my primitivist assertions of simpler times. Thankfully, I was in no mood for my own shenanigans. (5 points for a Futurama reference!)

A few months later, on my way out the door on a road trip to the mountains of Colorado I grabbed the dust laden petroleum glob and brought it along for the ride. For an experiment, I thought I’d use it to snap parallel shots of the photos I was shooting with my digital SLR and have a fun comparison between the results.

"Salem" photo by Clinton Begley

What I didn’t realize until I got the film developed was that the film advance mechanism, either through my own faulty loading or through the camera design, was sporadically failing to advance the film fully, if at all. I’m not sure what I expected for my $3 investment (it cost less than the film!) but what I received back after developing was even more fun and interesting than I’d hoped! I loaded the film, and I framed each shot, but what I had no control over was whatever else happened inside the camera. Shots were overlapped in multiple exposures, half in frame, distorted by light leaks and about as far removed from anything I’d originally intended as one could get. I loved it.

Sure, if it was my SLR and I was shooting with a print in mind, I’d be ticked… but I wasn’t, and the situation was prime for a stroke of random. I wasn’t thinking about it at the time, but what better way to truly capture a sense of the place and the tools than by letting them take part in the process rather than just being passive subjects for an artist to interpret? From now on, shooting with that camera will be kind of like trying to photograph lightning. Even though I’ve got the shot setup and planned, but there is always a huge incalculable factor in the equation.

We photographers typically like to control and prevent equipment mishaps in order to yield the most reliable results. But you can’t buy “reliability” with only $3… at that price “operational” is a bonus. But as long as you’re open to serendipity, and can occasionally allow yourself to be comfortable with elements beyond your control, then you’ll never have to pay for the fun.

Clinton Begley

As the last bit of warmth flees from the remaining Kodachrome corpses after being axed nearly a year ago by the Kodak company, a whole breed of photographers and artists are gaining more recognition and notoriety than ever before.

Relying on pixels and sensors rather than emulsion and fixers, digital artists are the (relatively) new kids on the block. Although the first true digital camera was created in 1975, with it’s predecessors in the works since the ‘60s, they didn’t become commercially viable until flannel was back in style. But two decades is plenty of a head start for the ultra-creative to put new technology through it’s paces.

The development of the digital camera over the past twenty years has run in lockstep with the advancements of graphics editing programs like Adobe’s Photoshop. By combining these two pixel wrangling technologies in the hands of an artist, anything becomes possible. By working directly with photographs and cutting edge digital enhancement and creation techniques, the mouse and cursor become extensions of the mind just like the brush and the pen always have.

Marc Hollembeak

With the marriage of these technologies, the camera is a portion of the overall process; increasingly, the line between digital photographer and digital artist is often blurred. But what is crystal clear, is that the proliferation of digital art has been happening for far longer than most realize, and that artists like Quincy native Marc Hollembeak are helping to push the envelope of expression with this medium.

I had the privilege of interviewing Marc via the web this week about his process, his motivations, and about some specific pieces that he has created:

Clinton: Marc, I really appreciate you sending me a few pieces of your work to discuss. I’ve been familiar with your work for a while now, but before we get into discussing the form, what can you share about your tools and technical approach to your art for those who may not be familiar with this particular style?

Marc: Photoshop type software is my mainstay along with a good digital camera, I actually call it my easel. I consider myself somewhat technically handicapped so I have always been a trial and error person. I must say about Photoshop, it is not at all easy to master if even possible so over the years I’ve been able to build a technique of my own. These two tools allow me to create what my mind sees.

Clinton: Given that your technique is an unusual approach to traditional fine art methods, and also a different approach to photography, what sort of experience have you had with how people view and interpret your work? Do you get more questions about the techniques, or about the content of the pieces?

Marc: It’s mixed, those interested in photography in general seem to want to know the hows and whys while the art lovers are more interested in the mindset that accompany each piece. I would say I have been pleasantly surprised at the general acceptance of the type of work I do.

Clinton: I’ve not seen any work of yours that was not in this vein, do you also work with other techniques and mediums? What drew you to this particular mode of expression to be your primary focus?

Marc: This is the only medium I currently work with. For many years I have been on a sharing site called flickr and this is where I learned that one must strive to stand out in there work and be unique so I eventually developed a technique that did that and became recognized among my peers. It wasn’t really a conscience development but it seems that no matter what subject I chose, those that know of my work recognize it. I do love black and white photography in the traditional form and hope to do a series of B/W in the near future, probably focusing on people and architecture.

Clinton: In your piece, “Happy Days” I was struck immediately by the incredible texture of the car, and how well it lent to holding the reflections to give a sense of place against an otherwise featureless background. Revealing as much as you’re comfortable with about your process, how

Happy Days by Marc Hollembeak

deliberate was the presence of the reflections in this piece? What was your motivation to take this approach rather than a more direct and obvious placement of the scene?

Marc: Shadows and Highlights always seem to jump out at me. This was shot at the local Tin Dusters a year or so back. When I walked up to this car the angle was perfect in my mind and the reflections were there. Sometimes it works out this way but I have no problem adding what I feel necessary in order to get the piece to speak out. The hand for instance is from a mannequin from a different place and time but this is what I saw reaching for the coke and also the reason for the selective color. The red, to my thinking, was the only color necessary to enhance the piece.

Clinton: Continuing with “Happy Days,” the hand is the only human component in the three pieces we’re discussing. Do you typically prefer to work on pieces without a human component? Are there certain challenges or drawbacks to working with people given the type of work you’re doing?

Marc: I do go out of the way to keep the human component out of my work with the exception of the shadow. Not sure if there would be any drawbacks per se except it seems to date the work or maybe better, restrict how far I can go with any alterations.

Clinton: Moving on to,”Where In The World ii.” it’s a very surreal composition. I’m reminded of the work of Scott Mutter and his “Surrational Images.” Do you feel any connection to his particular brand of photo-montage? How do you believe your work is distinct?

Where In The World ii by Marc Hollembeak

Marc: I have to be honest, I had to google Scott Mutter and I definitely feel a connection now. I personally believe, although I love black and white, the colors and HDR gives the viewer something more specific to work with and perhaps intensifies the mood a bit.

Clinton: In the image ”Where In The World ii” Quincyans will recognize the features here. To my eyes, it would appear that massive flood-waters have overtaken the bluffs and moved into the downtown. Yet in contrast, the moon and stars are obviously exaggerated and not as familiar as the other elements. Is there a specific narrative that you’re wanting to convey with a familiar setting? Or is it more open to interpretation as a juxtaposition of time and space? Or have I missed the mark altogether?

Marc: You didn’t miss the mark, in fact you are right on in all aspects. The familiarity wasn’t really a consideration so much in this particular piece although it often is, the architecture was just right. I call this type of surrealism, the dark side. I wanted to create something on a apocalyptic order and have had this old bank building in mind for some time but just as importantly I tried to create something that a viewer could get lost in and come to there own conclusions as to what led to this result, man verses the universe or nature or just man verses man and to what extent.

Clinton: Sticking with this piece (”Where In The World ii”) for another question. In your initial email to me, you expressed that the image took 30 years to create. Can you elaborate on that?

Marc: Sorry, I meant to say 30 hours. I guess I wanted to express the fact that a piece like this is not an overnight creation for me. As far as I know, there are no software applications where one can just give a click here or there and come up with these results.

Clinton: In the piece “Window Shopping,” we’re looking at an HDR image of the Busy Bee Mercantile building. Can you give us an idea of what HDR is and what appeals to you about it’s use in general, but also in this particular piece?

Window Shopping by Marc Hollembeak

Marc: HDR stands for high dynamic range. “This wider dynamic range allows HDR images to more accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight.” This was the definition from Wikipedia and pretty well explains it all. This is also why it appeals to me. In short it recreates more accurately all the little details that are left out from anything that can be reproduced on film or digitally.

Clinton: The textures and tones “Window Shopping,” are really extraordinary. This is one of my favorite buildings in town specifically for the signage and the ghost signs on the side of the building. Everything is really distinct and detailed here. I think it’s interesting how texture is a big component of each of these three pieces. Can you discuss your approach to textures with this image? How did texture factor in to your choice to use HDR?

Marc: This old building is my favorite as well and has so many little nuances that to do it justice I felt that over exaggeration of detail was necessary. HDR is a set of three to five shots in exactly the same position where only the aperture changes to give the middle shot the neutral and one or two shots overexposed and the same underexposed getting all the information so it can be sorted out in the HDR software. These are the results.

Clinton: Continuing with the texture vein, it appears to me that you sometimes use texture to enhance realism, but in other areas to be expressive. How does that process work for you? How do you decide which way to go?

Marc: I really don’t have the vocabulary to fully explain it, it’s just one of those things that I feel. I’m not trying to sound otherworldly but I just see these things in the lens, this is why I had to become proficient with the software.

Clinton: In general, when working on some of your more complex multi-composite images, do you go on field-trips with a specific idea in mind of what you want to create, and then collect images of each necessary component? Or do you create a library of images through your travels from which to pull when you’re creating and work with your existing “palette” so to speak?

Marc: I have created an extensive library that lets me go to build a piece but usually its just the opposite when I go on the field trip I already have the idea of what I want to create and try to find what I need to fill it.

Clinton: Most of your pieces seem to have a local focus. Are you from the tri-state area originally? What appeals to you about the area as a source of inspiration?

Marc: I was born in Quincy and lived here until the age of 20 moving to central Illinois for the next 20 years then to Arizona. I have been back about three years now. I love and have always loved the architecture in Quincy. It is very unique and photogenic as well. Yes, I draw nearly all my inspiration locally.

Clinton: Do you ever do commissioned work? Or do you strictly create what inspires you?

Marc: I do and have been very lucky to have been able to do whatever inspires me with the particular projects so far.

Clinton: In light of the many recent high profile Photoshop “scandals” with undisclosed enhancements to National Geographic and Outside magazine covers (and perhaps more predictably Men’s Health), can you discuss your thoughts on the role of artists in this landscape of altered images? Do you feel that fine art is distinct from commercial art in terms of disclosure of image creation / alteration? Is the issue (if there is one at all) largely one of context?

Marc: I do feel if an artist delves into photo manipulation that it should be so obvious or else disclose it as digital art or something to separate it from traditional photography. I personally think someone trying to pass something off as, as shot is wrong, but that’s just me. I feel that it is handicapping the digital artist. Not a sore subject but one I could rave about.

Clinton: In a similar vein — in the past, I’ve been exposed to opinions about digital art that run the spectrum from the same awe and respect that are bestowed upon traditional forms like painting and sculpture, to others that dismiss digital art as just clicking away on a mouse or that the computer is doing all the work. I think that there is an increasing amount of respect for digital artists and the skill it takes to do what they do. Can you share some of your experiences with this? What do you see as the future for digital composition?

Marc: Early on, it seemed that it wouldn’t get the respect I thought it should, but as digital art has gotten more exposure, people seem genuinely accepting it as an art form. The thing I think is important to remember is that one has to have the original idea/vision in the first place and being able to transfer that onto canvas, print, sculptor or whatever medium is secondary but it takes both to make everything come together. A photographer, as you know, has to have a keen eye for composition and a working understanding of what will and will not work after if becomes print. It isn’t just snapping a picture, there is so much more involved.

Clinton: Where can your art be viewed? Any gallery openings coming up?

Marc: I always have some pieces hanging at The Granite Bank Gallery and am having a show in January 2011. I don’t have the exact date but I will get that to you as soon as I get it.

Clinton: Anything else you’d like to add, or wish I’d asked you?

Marc: I really think you have covered it very well . I would like to thank you for this opportunity and as always, I hope those who view my work, enjoy it as much as I did creating it.

To view More of Marc’s work, you can visit his blog and gallery at: www.march51.com, or email him directly at: www.march@march51.com.

Begley

“Alternative to what?” a friend asked incredulously, when I shared the news about my new alternative arts blogging gig. Resisting the urge to wax snobbish and weave a tapestry of nonsense for him, I instead gave pause and considered his point.

In a nutshell, alternative art is an alternative to a putting art in a box, or perhaps more appropriately, a frame. Performance, found art, high concepts, soundscapes, installations, film, independent theater, design, community projects and any number of other possible avenues of expression could be covered here.

Artists are constantly pushing the envelope of expression and technique. They blur the lines between inspiration and entertainment and enrich our communities in the process. Through this forum, I hope to bring some attention to their creativity and craft.

While certainly not the only angler with its line in the water, an organization that has taken the alt-art bait hook, line-and-sinker is the Quincy Not So Fine Arts Society (NSFAS). Spearheaded by four Quincyans, the hodgepodge organization is “Dedicated to Illuminating the unheard/unseen music, theater, film, art, cooking and writing of Quincy and bringing it to the masses,” according to its Facebook page.

Not So Fine Arts Society logo

Having promoted such events as an “iron belly” competition, a traveling farce based upon the Lincoln Douglas debates and numerous other concerts and art exhibitions, the NSFAS has certainly made strides in helping to haul ashore the myriad of talent lurking in the waters of Quincy’s underground art scene.

While speaking with Alex Sanders, one of the group’s organizers, it was made clear that the laissez-faire approach to selecting the artists and styles of expression they choose to support has been an important key to their success thus far. “It’s really just about creating a venue for people to express themselves and get their creativity out there,”  Sanders said.

The primary vehicle for delivering their guerrilla arts message has been the Internet, so check out their Facebook page and get your face to the next event.