Surrealism Meets Old Nintendo

By Fringe Staff

By Shaunna Mulderrig

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Dan Herrera and Ashley Harris; a local artist duo, at their home and studio in Sacramento. They welcomed me into their home just hours before they were set to showcase their work at their first home-based exhibit.

The inside of their home is covered with works of art from other local artists. Their studio, however, is not only where they exhibit their own works but is also where they make almost all of their pieces. Their work is primarily a form of hybrid photography.

It’s certainly not the typical point-and-shoot photography. Their pieces are full of startling imagery and surreal dreamscapes. The work is not only beautifully complex but hauntingly strange.

I was curious to know where they got their inspiration. The couple has a passion for science fiction; they draw much of their inspiration from anything fantastical and outrageous.

They showed me a book of old, surrealism paintings and pointed out the different lightings used therein. Looking at their work, you can see the dramatic effect of the different lightings; both in what is lit and what are left in shadows. Ashley mentioned that, “It is mostly cool, creepy stuff. Some of the newer pieces are alchemist based; people in nature looking for ingredients for the perfect potion.”

You can see that nature is a huge inspiration to them. Every piece seems to have an organic element.

Dan showed me a couple new pieces that work with roots: a woman’s foot growing roots into the ground. In fact, they actually hand make a lot of the props that are featured in the art. One of the most amazing sets they’ve made was a miniature diorama set. A tiny desk and bookshelf complete with miniscule books.

Making miniature sets allows them the freedom to create whatever environment they desire at a tenth of the cost. Dan gets the supplies for the miniature sets at dollhouse supply store. “When I first starting going there for supplies, the older ladies in there were a little freaked out by me; but they eventually got used to me.”

So I had to know, How do they merge the image of the diorama with the image of an actual size model? They start by lighting the miniature set and photographing it.

Then they shoot the model in front of a special effect screen: green or blue screens. Once they have both images in the computer they can begin the process of combining them. They use a process called “chroma-key” which is basically telling the computer to eliminate the background (in this case blue or green). Once they’ve eliminated the background color, they can isolate the figure in the foreground and manipulate that image into whatever background they wish.

“There’s a stigma, that if you do certain things in the computer you can just hit the genius button and the magic will just happen; but it’s not that easy. It definitely makes certain things easier, but it’s still a lot of hard work” Dan explained. They spend hours hand sewing props together, making sketches, taking test shots, and once they have the images there is still all the post-production work to do. Each piece can take up to 20 hours of work. A lot of work and planning is involved. Their pieces are definitely multi-media. Surprisingly, they sell their work at incredibly reasonable prices: a large piece could go for up to $175 and a small piece would sell for as low as $50.

If you’re looking for something a little more fun and carefree, they have some pieces for you as well. A substantial portion of their work is based on characters from old movies, comic books, and Nintendo games. These pieces are done using a paper negative process. They’ve done pieces featuring Captain America, Hulk Hogan, Freddy Kruger, the Terminator, Tetris, and much more. Dan claims a nerdy passion for old-timely video games. “It’s really fun for us to see people around our age come in and recognize the characters and games. It’s a collective memory we all share: the old Nintendo.” These pieces are priced between $20 and $70.

Dan and Ashley have a show coming up on Saturday, December 8th at the Cool Cat Gallery. They will be showing with other artists as part of the Holiday Bonanza Show. The gallery is on 24th and I St. and the show will be from 6-10pm. Other local shows are in the works, so keep your eyes and ears open, and if you get the chance to see their work, don’t pass it up. If you just can’t wait for an exhibit and must own a piece of their art right away (and I wouldn’t blame you for that), you can contact Dan through his myspace page at www.myspace.com/8bitcowboy.

They also offer commercial photography and portrait work. Coming up in 2008, they will be offering workshops to teach others how to use these complex processes. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact them. They are amazing people with a passion for life and everything it holds for them. Their creative minds have spawned an incredible array of art and I know we will be seeing much more of them in the future.