Jerry Beck

RPMs (Revolutions Per Minute) at the Clark Gallery

These stories were hammered together, sewed with needle and thread, glued, welded, stapled, taped, woven, tied, screwed and spit on. They come with the speed of lightening and ghosts. The process is heaven and hell on earth. It is the lost and found paradise. It is mundane and mystical. It is the last and only frontier. I have traced my family tree, then erased some branches and added a few missiles pointing in every direction. I was forced to learn math at gun point. I found out that a book could be read a 1000 different ways. I didn’t get bit by that shark swimming next to me. Loving sex is beautiful. Brutal crimes are happening right at this moment. Grit your teeth. Take the needle off the record. Don’t let the extra fat kill you. We will survive somehow, someplace with someone else’s help. Alone and together. But history is slippery. I have trouble trusting. There is a laugh track embedded in my brain. My car offers paradigm shifts. My 8 year old daughter Georgie offers me an aesthetic response. Creativity is born of adventure, a suspension of time, and the hopeful emergence of authenticity if there is such a thing.
- Jerry Beck

First I want I thank my generous, fun, wise, and loving family and friends. I also want to give my heartfelt appreciation to everyone that contributed their extraordinary talents and support in helping making this art and exhibition possible including Coraly Rivera, Tim Norris and family, David Smith, Collete, Angeline Knights-Pelleteir, Jesus Lopez, Kenny & George of Broadway Art and Framing, Angela Rodrigues, Steve Backholm, Alison McTyre, Lisa Seminoff, Brain and Pat Burak of Bri-Co Welding LLC., The Kushners, Dave of Rodger’s Printing, John of D&G Graphics, Dana Salvo and the Clark Gallery staff/interns, those nice people that gave me discounts, and all my teachers, artists, and community members who helped in the thinking and art-making.

This exhibition is dedicated to the loving memory of
Bob Harmon and Guild Nichols
whose guidance, support, humor, art, and friendship helped to shape
my life. I will forever be grateful to them.