Beth Langendorf

I utilize the succinct nature of oil paint and charcoal to explore recurring cultural phenomena related to identity. My work is driven by the urge to understand my experience through a greater visual culture we all share. By adding to this sea of preexisting images, I participate in that culture. Our collective consumption and contribution to this sea is incredibly inspiring. The integration of niche pop culture landmarks and iconography is a vital aspect of my process and it’s yields. Landmarks allow for the viewer to make personal connections to what they recognize, and for me to express such connections.
My body of work experiments with conforming to and defying expectations associated with realism. By adhering to traditional design principles and also incorporating less conventional imagery, I develop a consistent tone that celebrates the bizarre, playful, and orderly curiosities we inhabit. Controlling curated color schemes, along with carefully selected lighting allows to further cultivate this tone. A large portion of the inspiration behind particular artworks comes from one or more compiled memories. The emotional and physical memories that make up my personal cache are often behind my work.
I often begin exploring the concept I wish to pursue through all senses to gain a finite understanding. Translating an idea to a distinct taste, smell, sound, or feeling gives this idea its own tactile identity. To express a concept, I need to understand it’s identity to the fullest extent I possibly can.
I aim for others to encounter this identity too in my finished pieces. I hope those who view my work do so through their own angles. Welcoming one’s own memories, nostalgia, and associations shape their distinct perspective and inevitable projections. Viewers are meant to absorb my work through these projections to essentially define their personal experience with each piece.