Straight to the Heart December Show
CHECK OUT THE SHOW CATALOG! "Straight to the Heart" Artist Reception December 2nd, 6-9 pm Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA. You're invited to the opening on Thursday, December 2nd, during the downtown Laguna Beach First Thursday's Art Walk. I'll be at the show which features 10 new paintings, at Sue Greenwood Fine Art from now till January 10, 2022. Mark Don't miss a show! Subscribe to get the latest news from Mark Beck Paintings.
The Swimmers – Plus 10 New Paintings Opens Nov. 16
Contemporary Seascape Painting The Swimmers 48 x 64" acrylic on canvas Greetings, You up for a swim? The Swimmers is a new, contemporary seascape painting made for my solo art show opening in a few weeks. I am posting a sneak preview: it’s the largest painting of the show. It features two lifeguard towers overlooking a wild sea. The paradox in the painting. All the elements of the painting, except for the towels, indicate a dangerous time and place to swim. The whole painting is set up so that you would [...]
3 New Shows Announced
I'm very excited to announce that I am creating several new paintings for The Seattle Art Fair 2022 in conjunction with my show in July at the Patricia Rovzar Gallery in Seattle. The Seattle Art Fair has become my top-of-the-list venue for the quality of art presented and you can't beat the cuisine, friendly people, and natural beauty of Seattle. Read about the 2022 Seattle Art Fair here. Stay tuned for more news as I make headway creating these new paintings. Hope to see you at one of my openings! Mark [...]
My Tribute to Elizabeth Cotten
The Visionary 24 x 24. Oil on canvas now showing at Trees Place Gallery in Orleans, MA. Dedicated to American Blues and Folk Musician, Elizabeth Cotten (1893-1987). Elizabeth Cotten is one of my favorite people...so I made a painting of her. According to the great website www.shemadehistory.com: “Elizabeth Cotten was an American blues and folk musician, singer, and songwriter. She was left-handed and taught herself how to play the guitar, strung for a right-handed player, upside-down. Cotten developed her own unique style known as “Cotten Picking”. She is best [...]
God Approves Our Undertaking
Annuit Coeptis Annuit Coeptis appears on the back of the one-dollar bill - on the Great Seal of the United States. Its translation from Latin means "God approves our undertaking." Isn't this a curious statement on legal tender for a nation with a separation of church and state? Much has been made of the religious faith, or lack thereof, of the founding fathers. It turns out they were generally attached to Christianity in some form or another. The establishment clause of the First Amendment prohibits [...]
2 Paintings Selected for Huntington Beach Juried Show
I am very excited to announce my work has been selected for SCAPES AND SCOPE: VISIONS OF THE LAND, SEA, AND URBAN SPACE The Huntington Beach Art Center is pleased to present its 2021 fall exhibition Scapes and Scope, curated by Southern California landscape artist and teacher Jim Ellsberry. The invitational, juried exhibition explores the beauty and varied expressions of landscape in contemporary art. Traditional Plein Aire and studio works anchor the exhibition which invites viewers to explore both literal and stylized interpretations of land, sea, and urban geography. The [...]
Two New Shows Announced
I am very excited to announce two solo exhibitions I will be painting for: Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Laguna Beach Opening November 2021 Patricia Rovzar Gallery, Seattle Opening July 2022 Want me to send you an invite?
My Favorite Paintings 2021
"I am not interested in painting; I am not interested in making a picture. Then what the hell am I interested in? I must be interested in this process." Philip Guston Hello Mark Beck Studio Fans, It's been a minute because I've been so busy painting for two important shows coming up. I read this quote by American Artist Philip Guston and it immediately struck home with me. Facing a blank canvas is exciting but it's also daunting. Despite my best plans, I often take a different creative path from the one I originally [...]
New Portraits Summer 2021
Four New Portraits Now showing at Merritt Gallery in Baltimore. These beautiful portraits are all painted on panels. Contact Merritt Gallery here if you are interested in scheduling a viewing. A Fundraiser for Fellow Artists Today I am working on a painting to donate to The Gatherings Project. I like what Project Creator, Artist Lynda Lowe, has to say about it: "Perhaps now more than ever we are in need of what the arts can offer. They revive our [...]
August 2021 Paintings
August 2021 Summer is in full swing and I've been busy painting. Check out these 6 recent landscapes now showing at Patricia Rovzar Gallery in Seattle. Please inquire here if you are interested in getting to see these paintings in person at the gallery. Mark
New Paintings at Merritt Gallery
2021 I'm excited to announce new representation with the very fine Merritt Gallery in Baltimore. You can see my latest work there. The painting on the left is titled "Then and Now" and you can contact Merritt Gallery if you are interested in acquiring this painting. Check out this new Studio Art video to hear what I have to say about the painting and it's meaning: Mark's YouTube Channel Mark To find out how to purchase this painting, get in touch with me here:
March 2021 New Show in Seattle
5 New Paintings at the New Show - See now through March 2021 at Patricia Rovzar Gallery in Seattle! Check out the quick walk-through tour with gallery owner and curator Patricia Rovzar:
February 2021 – Two New Landscapes
Fresh off the easel. I'm very happy present my newest paintings: Now and Then (48" x 56") Seaside (42" x 42") Both are rather large pieces. They are inspired by humankind's relationship with nature. To inquire, please contact me below.
November 2020
Painting title: November Oil on Canvas 46" x 60" Available January 6, 2021 I am wishing everyone a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year. I thought I'd post this painting, completed in my studio last month, as it relates to what is happening today in America's capitol. About this painting: November was painted during the 2020 election season. You may notice the "I voted" sticker which I added to her blouse. I was in the middle of reading about how important the Black vote is to our democracy and was inspired. [...]
4 New Landscapes
It's been a creative, productive wind-down to 2020. Most of you know I love to paint large. These four new landscapes are all on the smaller side. Up North Down South Out West Back East The medium is acrylic on panel and they are sized at 11 x 14. The bold, thick paint is applied to a highly polished, gessoed panel which gives it a smooth, vivid quality and just the right amount of texture: lush in some places and veiled in others. These are little jewels, if [...]
New Youtube Videos and Print Sale!
Here is my latest Newsletter for Subscribers. I'm very happy to announce a few new videos, added to my Youtube Channel, which shows me giving a tour of my Art Studio, a discussion about my landscape paintings, as well as a few guitar songs. To see my newly release prints, go to www.markbeckfineart.com. Click the link below to access the videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8DdM1Fkxmg
