We were lucky to catch up with BEATRICE ATENCAH recently and have shared our conversation below.

BEATRICE, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

My parents surprisingly supported my initial decision of being an artist right from the age of 6 years when I began to draw and paint whatever I see. I remember the first drawing I made of my class 1 (Grade 1) teacher, Madam Angela in her grey office wear and red moke (heels). She usually wear red heels when she is in the strict mood; usually days she used to beat us unnecessarily. I drew her while sitting with a frowned facial expression, red lipstick and red heels while in a reading class. After she found out, I knew I was in trouble but I was too tired of her lashes and was definitely expecting one because the Monday tensed room was too much for me and I needed a hide out. A space I can find comfort and rest for a while and that space was embracing my talent. my imaginations, replicating moments within a tensed environment brought more peace than I knew at the age of 6. She did not beat me like I expected her to, instead she called for my parents the next day after what looked like a long talk, I was encouraged to draw more in our drawing class. Every pencil that gets taken from the shelf was definitely my hand work, crayons and color pencils splatter was mine too! I just couldn’t resist.

In Class 3, (3rd grade) I was trading my talent for things my parents wouldn’t get for me because they were considered “secondary”, story books (public library books were their options and I didn’t prefer them because the best ones were always taken), fancy drawing sets, money for candies, etc. I draw and get paid or I get offers from colleagues in my class and advanced classes as collectibles which now reminds me of the beginning of my art journey.

My parents were and still are very supportive of my dreams. Before hand, my father suggested I become a lawyer because I am vocal and outspoken, my mother on the other hand wanted a nurse in the family especially because I am the only female child and I care for people a lot. Looking down memory lane, I appreciate their encouragement through my high school education to my Bachelor’s degree at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. My Father saw to it that I select a good art school for my High school education that embraced female artistry and craft while my mum got all art supplies plus out of pocket school supplies. Through my craft, I was awarded the best artist (Painting) by an American outreach professor Daisy Romero who gifted me a drawing book with more information I didn’t know I needed. This book introduced newer perspectives into my life like tones in shading, holding brushes and selecting colors based on weather conditions. After gaining admission to Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Art with a specialization in textiles, I had decided on attending a nursing school to become a nurse since there was glory in gaining a health care job because it has promising wages/ salary unlike being an artist, growing up in a country such as Ghana with little or no regards for Art and Artists but my parents reminded me on why I started, how far I had come and what it means to have passion and find peace in doing the things you love even when it doesn’t satisfy all your needs.

A statement my Father used to say was “If you pick opportunity above your peace, you will end up with an unpleasant customized facial expression that kills the soul while sipping wine in a luxurious mansion with loud thoughts and regrets dancing through your brain”. I felt that and it has been my walking stick ever since.

BEATRICE, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a fiber, sculpture, and installation artist and an educator born in the Eastern region of Ghana (West Africa) living in Bloomington, Indiana. USA. My art practice employ rich indigenous materials and practices correlating with art and craft such as weaving, crocheting, stitching and beading. I am interested in human body movements and the message they carry during the navigation process with my primary pursuit of exploring body movements of migrants navigating between spaces. Using both my own body, relatives, and research of migrant descendants, I seek to illustrate trails and expand on migration, identity, beauty, and forced assimilation. As I bend, fold, and drape these handwoven sculptures, I consider the lives of migrants. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi – Ghana (2018) with my major in Textiles and minor in Fashion Design.

I worked in a fashion company in the city of Accra for 2 years after my service to the country as a Teaching assistant in the textile department at KNUST for a year. I am currently an MFA candidate in studio arts (fibers) through which I have received many awards and recognition to my credit including but not limited to 2023 recipient of Genia and Max Tanner scholarship awards, Grant in Aid University Awards and CAHI research fellowship Award in Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. I was also the 2022 Wingate University Fellowship awardee for Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg (TN), 2022 recipient of the Indiana University Caldwell Award for the Fine Arts Faculty and the 2020 Outstanding designer award at Sima brew fashion company (GH). I have exhibited in renowned galleries including Tenuous Threads, Atlantic Gallery, Chelsea – New York, Artlink Midwest Regional Exhibition art Fort Wayne, IN, Tangent Gallery Opening, IDA Journal in Turkey, 2022 National society of Arts & Letters Competition and Exhibition (NSAL) at FAR Center for Contemporary (IN) Open Theme at The in Art Gallery (USA), Artist Talk magazine, UK, All She Makes magazine (USA), among others.

Forthcoming exhibitions include: “Fibers of Nature” (Floyd Center of Art, Virginia) February, 2023; Arts of African Descent (Rock Island Gallery – Quad city arts) March 2023; Tenuous Threads (Atlantic Gallery, New York) January – February. Follow my creative progress on instagram to grow with me @atencah_ website:https://atencahbarts.com

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Through my creative journey I have learnt to be intentionally blind and deaf to external factors that do not drive my goal of satisfying my urge to try new materials. I remember a ceramics professor from my undergraduate studies department, Dr. Lemuel Gbologah question me on my next decision after school. “So Beatrice what next? Marriage or Masters”? This question shook my inner being because I knew what I wanted, but what I loved was more than what I wanted and as a lady of my age, societal pressure and call was at my neck choking me to death to choose marriage before I die out or evaporate (grow old) like it is termed. I responded: Masters knowing very well that wasn’t what I wanted.. It was what I loved to do, more exploit, expand, go above and beyond touching textiles to different mediums just to satisfy my hunger. My colleagues of course had different paths especially the females and each month comes surprise wedding invitations that sparks wild thoughts that make me question my choices and decisions made in the past as well as doubt what the future holds. Gaining admission to Indiana University put me into the state of realization that everything is possible. I look back now and realize how fortunate I am among many artists that wished this was their dream (change of environment for a better art exposure), the peace that comes with it knowing I can finally express myself through art without being criticized in the environment I find myself and the ability to expose, educate the public with aspects of my culture through my work

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My main goal is to work with almost every medium I come across to satisfy my curiosity and expansion through art till my hunger for materials is quenched, until then, I keep working. As an educator, I aim to motivate, train, and drive the zeal that are growing in younger generations with my skills and knowledge as I become a professor by watching them yield to fruition. One of my biggest dreams is to be an example to female artists in Africa by breaking stereotypes of the Two M’s (Marriage & Masters).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://atencahbarts.com
• Instagram: Atencah_
• Facebook: Beatrice Opokua Atencah
• Linkedin: Beatrice Opokua Atencah
• Youtube: Beatrice Opokua Atencah

Image Credits
Artist: Beatrice Opokua Atencah