Art Feature: Dream Machines

Slipstream fiction, for those who don’t know, denotes a form of speculative fiction that crosses conventional genre boundaries, most often between science fiction, fantasy, and horror. It’s why in Marischa’s image The Execution of the War Machines a mech most common to military science fiction of the future looms like a haunted mystery of the past over a watchtower made of timber and a knight from high fantasy.

Marischa’s rejection of any one genre or stylistic ruleset is what makes her work so interesting. The freedom she gives herself to mix and match how she wants is what frees the viewer’s imagination and allows it to run wild.

“My art is open to interpretation,” she explains. “I want the viewer to look at what I create and feel their own story start to form. Art should open the doors to the viewer’s imagination and feelings.”

Marischa got her start in photography, and she initially learned Photoshop in order to work and experiment with her photos. Soon though, she was creating artwork directly in Photoshop, and from there, started learning 3D computer modeling. She now includes both Photoshop and 3D modeling in her workflow. Images like The Guardians and The Year of the Machines are two of my favorite examples of the two techniques working effectively in tandem, and the uncanny depth of field achieved in The Guardians specifically is what I admire so much about Marischa’s skill.

But according to Marischa, she isn’t resting on the skills she’s already mastered. She is always learning, always looking for ways to improve. Currently, she is working hard to strenghten her digital painting, color management, composition, and visual storytelling.

“Art is self-expression, and I want to improve my skills so that they can lead me to where I want to be.”

And where does Marischa want to be? What does she hope to achieve from here?

“I always say that art is life. I’m on a long journey filled with endless opportunities. One of my biggest goals as an artist is to make people feel things. But I also want them to enjoy my art at the same time.”

Art copyright © 2023 Marischa Becker