We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melanie Bethke. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melanie below.

Melanie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Right now I am currently going through a process of retooling and reshaping my life. During the covid lockdown period, I became captivated by documentaries and books about technology and AI, and how it is altering the way we interact with each other. Big tech’s business models are driven by the desire to keep people engaged with their products. The way they were developed exploits vulnerabilities in human behavior and keeps us distracted from our dreams and goals.
I discovered UX design and humane technology, which focus on developing products that enhance people’s lives and aid them in achieving their dreams and visions for the future. I knew I wanted to find a way to apply my creativity and problem-solving abilities in the tech space. I signed up for a UX bootcamp to learn how to design products that take into consideration the user’s perspective.

Last month I finished a digital app prototype that connects Indigenous creatives and innovators with supporters. This was a rewarding experience and I am super excited to watch this product develop and enter the marketplace.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a professional oil painter. I love the tactile process of painting. All of your senses are involved in the act of painting.  The smell of the oil paint, the visual alchemy of mixing paint, and the act of painting itself.  Each painting is like a new relationship. It takes a while to understand it, learn to listen to it, and then allow it to take you to where it needs to go.  What I love most about the painting process is that it nudges you up against life itself. I use it to help me understand the world around me.
I devoted the first decade of my art practice to translating music into a two-dimensional form. I spent many years painting live at jazz clubs or inviting musicians to my studio to paint the energy of their jam sessions. I enjoyed the challenge of capturing the energy of the performance and the essence of the music. In time, I shifted my focus to use music as a tool to guide my work. I relied on the rhythm and melody to orchestrate the lines and color.  I was curious about how to create the impression of motion in a static image without the aid of technology.  I wanted to hold onto the relevance of painting in the digital age.

Eventually this led me to examine the subject from an intellectual perspective. Using the art practice as a tool to help me understand and engage with the world around me. The subject became my internal response to current events. I developed public art installations that addressed gun violence and encouraged civic engagement.

My current work investigates the invisible energy that exists between things. It examines the convergence of quantum physics and spirituality and addresses the concept that everything is energy. These paintings encourage the viewer to slow down and observe the resonance between the shapes and colors on the canvas. We are living in tumultuous times and these works serve as a counterpoint to all the noise. They are both a reflection of our time and also a call to reconnect with ourselves.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Throughout my life, I have always loved painting and drawing. During my first art class at a community college the teacher laughed at my work. This was devastating to me at the time. I began to think that I didn’t have enough talent to study art and ended up pursuing a degree in Interior Design.

One semester during my Interior Design studies, I took a digital design class and a painting class that was needed to fulfill a degree requirement. I realized that even though the process of designing on a computer was stimulating and challenging, it wasn’t satisfying. In contrast, the time I spent drawing and painting energized me and I felt transformed afterwards. It was at that point I decided pursue a BFA and no longer cared about whether or not I had talent.

This was the best decision I made. It is crucial to choose to do what brings you joy and makes you feel alive.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I am currently in the middle of a pivot right now. For many years I rejected technology and digital art forms. My preference has always been for experiences that directly touch me and involve all my senses. A walk by the river where I feel the breeze, watch the squirrels play, eagles soar, and marvel at the array of colorful insects just out and about.

I have admiration for the unlimited possibilities of technology, but I never wanted to lose the full sensory aspect of painting. I am an intuitive painter and feel my way through a work. I watch the layers of paint come to life, only to end with the next brush stroke. Abstract painting is a delicate balance of color, shape and energy. It takes time to build a surface and discover which interactions of color and shape will work together to create a sense of presence. Technology doesn’t involve all senses.

We live in a digital age and there is no escaping it. I decided that I could no longer afford to ignore its existence and made the decision to learn about it, be curious about it, and join it. Since my decision, I enrolled in Prime Digital Academy’s UX bootcamp to gain skills in designing digital products that make people’s lives better. My goal is to use humane technology to create digital products that inspire people to make meaningful connections and encourage them to act on their dreams in the real world.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.melaniebethkeart.com
• Instagram: purplesmear
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniebethke/

Image Credits
Cyrus Wilson (portrait) Jerry Mathiason (artwork)