Mike Beckwith, whose exhibition of “fluid art” will open at the Plainsboro Public Library gallery on January 2, says that his interest in fluid art or “pour art” dates back to about ten years ago when he first saw a YouTube video of someone pouring paint over a canvas.  To him, this style of art-making seemed fun and “not too difficult,” so he thought he’d too give it a try. And he hasn’t stopped since.

Beckwith primarily relied on acrylic paints, but now, he is increasing his use of mixed media in art. Today, he uses resin, acrylic paint, alcohol ink, and sometimes even crushed glass or mica powder to create his pieces.  Although his exhibition at the Plainsboro Library Art Gallery will consist primarily of large works on canvas or wood, he says that, in his work, he has poured various solutions over tables, mirrors, and even panes of glass–basically “anything that will support the weight.”

Unlike most artists, Beckwith does not plot his work in advance. He says that he has an idea of the way certain colors will interact and he may try to influence the flow of paint by tipping the canvas or even using blow dryers on the paint, but the abstract result is never entirely in his control and is never representational.

A teacher of sixth grade English in Old Bridge, New Jersey, Beckwith also has an online business, SceneOneArt.com, where he sells his paintings and smaller objects — like jewelry, magnets, and coasters — these created using the “byproducts” of his larger work, such as leftover dried paint.

Patrons can “Meet the Artist” on January 7 at 11 am, at the Plainsboro Public Library Art Gallery.  The exhibition will remain from January 2nd through January 28.

The Plainsboro Library is located at 9 Van Doren, Plainsboro.