We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Beverly Marshall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Beverly, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
I would hope that my legacy would be my compassion for people and the way its’ portrayed within my art. I like to focus on the emotional aspect of the human condition and show the viewer what I see. I hope somewhere along the way, I’m remembered for that and for my spirit and how I have interacted with those around me. I hope I am remembered for my respect for artists and the gifts they have given the world. I hope my art is remembered for its human spirit.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your industry?
I have always had a passion for art, especially pencil drawings. I am a self taught artist. It all began with a rivalry with my older brother when we were very young. My brother George was always better at things than I was. We were drawing together one day and he was teasing me about my drawing. That started a fire in me. From that day forward, I would strive to be a better artist than him and that day came soon enough.
My Grandmother was a strong driving force. She always kept simple art supplies around. She knew I loved to draw and there were always pencils and paper at her house. When I was 9 she framed my very first piece. She was a great inspiration. Grandma’s kitchen table was my first art studio back then.
Then came a time that I put my pencil away. Maybe you know how this goes, you grow up, marry, have a family, begin a business and there was no longer time for my passion. Drawing was set to the side. Years passed. The kids grew. The family business slowed. Once again there was time to draw and I hit the ground running with my pencil in hand. With urging from my friends and family I began to take my talent a bit more seriously. My first drawings were sold on Ebay 10 years ago. How time flies! Today I am an international award winning artist. It’s been an interesting adventure to say the least. Who would have known a pencil could carry one so far. What power there is in that lead.
What type of creative works do you provide?
I absolutely love pencil drawing. That is what I am best known for, my emotional drawings of people. I like to capture a moment and mix images to create a story. I would like to think that I have a unique style. Seeing one image thru another is not something I see with pencil works from others. I have also begun to explore some anamorphic drawings recently. With anamorphic art, the work is meant to be seen in a very specific way, like at a certain angle or through a mirror. I do find this type of drawing fascinating.
I also have a new found passion for sculpting. I have been working with recycled materials and gypsum plaster to recreate the human form. It is a lot of fun and very different in a lot of ways than other sculpting mediums. I am just beginning to dip my toe in the water with this and can’t wait to see where this creative endeavor will lead.
What do you think sets you apart from others?
I am highly creative and love to mix images to tell a story in my pencil drawings. I have the ability to blend images within each other all while capturing the emotional essence of people. It is a powerful talent and sets me apart from most artists. It is a great way to tell a story. Not many artist’s use a pencil as their medium these days.
I also have this uncanny ability to teach myself new skills. The natural instinct to just know how to work with a new medium that I have never used before. To do something new, that I may have never done before. I am sure there are a lot of untapped skills that are just lying within me waiting to be discovered. Things that I am unaware of, that are there. So I am always discovering something new about myself. Discovering some new ability. Some new aspect of my talent that I can share with the world.
What are you most proud of?
I think I am most proud of my never give up spirit and my family and friends. They have always cheered me on from the very beginning of this adventure. They come to most of the exhibits and share in the celebrations with me. They are very proud of me, as I am of them. Without their love and support none of this may have ever happened. It has taken a village to help me succeed and I am very appreciative and thankful for all of them. A special shout out to my kids, Frank, Tina, Salvatore, Josh (who watches out from heaven) and to my best friend Joelle.
This past year alone has been an amazing one. My drawings were included into 13 juried international art exhibits from galleries such as the LightSpaceTime Gallery, ArtRoom Gallery, Grey Cube, and The Pepney Gallery in Ireland. Winning inclusion in these international juried shows is enough, but to my surprise my art began winning awards. 3 of my drawings won international awards in 2021. The year started off with “Addiction” winning a special recognition award from the LightSpaceTime Gallery 10th Annual ‘All Women’ Exhibit in January. Quickly followed up by “A New Sheriff in Town ” winning a special recognition award in February for the 11th Cityscapes Art Exhibition from the same gallery. “Pandemic Beyond the Mask” topped the winnings off this summer taking two international Merit Awards from two separate exhibits including the “Shades of Grey” art exhibition from the Art Room Gallery. My work also secured one of 12 solo spots from the LightSpaceTime Gallery’s Spot Light Series last spring. So this has been just an amazing year.
What are the main things you want fans to know about you and your work?
The work comes from the heart. Every pencil stroke. I love what I do. Being creative is one of my favorite things. I love learning new skills on my own and I am loving sculpting. Expect to see more of that from me.
The future plans to be just as exciting as last year. I plan to compete more on the international art scene. Currently there are two solo art exhibits planned in my community that will showcase my pencil drawing and my sculptures. So mark your calendars. The first will be at The Peter Powell Roberts Museum of Art and Culture in Avon Park Florida for the month of November 2022.With an artist reception on the first Saturday of November from noon until 2:00 pm.
The Peter Powell Roberts Museum of Art & Cultural Center is dedicated to exhibiting and preserving the work of Florida Master Artist Peter Powell Roberts (1924 – 2014) The priceless collection of paintings celebrates the Central Florida Environment by rendering the oft-overlooked Florida minutia in powerful, near-abstract compositions. The Museum also hosts Gallery space for regional artists to exhibit. It is located on the second floor of 310 West Main Street, Avon Park, FL 33825. They can be contacted at Phone 863-453-4531, Email [email protected]
The second exhibit will be at The Highlands Museum of the Arts in Sebring Florida for January 2023 with an artist reception marking the opening (exact dates TBA) that will show a more extensive volume of my artwork. Admission is free and we welcome you all to join us. The Highlands Museum of the Arts (MoTA) is located at 351 W Center Ave, Sebring, FL 33870, Phone (863) 385-5312 and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 am – 2 pm. Admission is free.
The mission of the Highlands Museum of the Arts (MoTA) is to enrich lives in our diverse community by fostering essential conversations and encouraging creativity through exhibitions and educational activities that explore various types of art in order to connect people to creativity, knowledge and ideas.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I would like to be internationally known for my artwork. I am building that reputation now.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
There are two things that I find are the most rewarding about being an artist. The first is sharing my work. I love to exhibit and to give people the opportunity to explore my artwork. I find it interesting what they see in the work and what they think the work is portraying. The second thing that I love about being an artist is inspiring others to draw. I have taught drawing in the past at the Peter Powell Roberts Museum of Art and Cultural in Avon Park FL, and it is very satisfying to teach those who have been inspired by the art. I love when I get a brand new student who may not know how to draw and teach them how to. A lot of times they walk into class so unsure if they can do it and walk out 5 weeks later drawing beautifully. I love watching their growth and their confidence build. They make being an artist so very much worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/beverly-marshall
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themarshallartist67/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bevythe1st
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThatArtOfMine
- Youtube: https://studio.youtube.com/video/LtpQCggaVJc/edit
- Other: https://artrepreneur.com/p/BevyTheFirst
Image Credits
Beverly Marshall