Shadow Dance (48″x60″), Potion (48″x36″), Limerick (48″x60″)
While downtown SLO has lost many of its art galleries over the last few years, we are fortunate to have EDNA Contemporary providing innovative works by local as well as out-of-area artists who are fearlessly expressing themselves through their chosen mediums.
Its current exhibit is not to be missed. Timo Beckwith is a multi-disciplinary artist who has a background not only in painting and sculpture, but also in mask making, photography, filmmaking, dance, music, theatrical production design, and theatrical costume design. A resident of San Luis Obispo since 1974, he frequently combines a blend of several of these practices while working on one piece.
Beckwith has contributed to the local arts scene in a variety of ways. His exhibitions at SLO Museum of Art go back to the early ‘90s, including a solo abstract painting exhibition and guiding the Prime pARTicle Productions multi-disciplinary experiential art event there. He has contributed work to four sculpture exhibitions and helped develop an exhibition of work by his students from Arts in Corrections at the California Mens Colony.
The exhibit at EDNA Contemporary includes both new and older works: 13 paintings, six sculptures, three photo-based prints and one video about the making of the sculpture “When the Sea Sang My Name.” All are mesmerizing the longer you take the time to study them. Most of his paintings are done on wood panels rather than on canvas, due to the fact that he applies layer upon layer of paint and/or glazes, each one sanded down with a subsequent layer added.
Beckwith says he doesn’t focus on the finished project, but rather on the process, perfecting it as he goes.
Interestingly, he prefers working large. Many of his paintings measure five-by-five-feet or four-by-five-feet, which might intimidate other artists. Beckwith, however, finds he can incorporate movement (dance) and music as he paints, with each layer often being substantially different from the previous one. He likes the feeling of transparency in his work, allowing us to see through one layer of reality into another.
I commend EDNA Contemporary for bringing us not only Beckwith’s stunning work, but also new and refreshing viewpoints from other artists. Sadly this exhibit only runs through June 28—with this much talent and diversity of work, we deserve to see more of it in future.