One of the best things about having your own art show or residency? The recommendations. Other artists see your work and say, Hey, have you heard of…? That’s how I discovered David Beck.

I hadn’t heard of him. So I looked him up. And wow! His work is exactly the kind of thing I’m drawn to. Beck was a mixed-media artist who combined traditional crafts like wood carving, metalwork, painting, to create intricate kinetic pieces. Think Joseph Cornell’s box assemblages but with moving parts, hidden compartments, and unexpected surprises.

Dodos, elephants, and tiny crowds of people often appeared in his work. He built everything from delicate miniatures to massive cabinets filled with motorized dioramas, drawers, and doors that revealed secret worlds.

One of Beck’s works is at the Smithsonian American Museum of Art. It’s a sort of cabinet of curiosities called MVSEVM. It features miniature creatures, tiny hand-painted portraits, and drawers holding small versions of artifacts you’d find at the Smithsonian.

There’s a documentary about him: Curious Worlds of David Beck—The Artist You’ve Never Heard Of. I’ve watched it multiple times. Every time, I walk away itching to make something.

Beck lived in New York City before moving to San Francisco. Sadly, he passed away in 2018. I never got the chance to meet him.

If you love art that’s unusual, meticulous, and full of hidden magic, watch the documentary. Beck’s work is a rabbit hole worth diving into.