We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Olivia Beaumont a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Olivia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
I lost my mom last year. With that blow, I came to understand how instrumental she had been at shaping me as an artist. I started creating my self-identity around being an artist while very young, and by the tender age of nine, I had a strong belief in my ability to become a great artist.
My mother’s name was June, and she lived up to her vibrant, summery name in every way. She was a beautiful, brilliant red head with an amazing smile and an infectious laugh. Her handwriting was a beautiful cursive, she devoured novels like she did chocolates, and her truest talent was as a nurturing counselor.
Although we lived in the suburbs of Los Angeles, she regularly provided opportunities for us to get out and walk nature trails, which stimulated my imagination and nurtured a real curiosity within me. A benefit of living in L.A. was visiting museums. I saw some great art as a child and fell in love with the emotional power of the arts.
One summer when I was about 8 years old, my mother took a watercolor painting class. The class took Mom to the El Dorado Nature Center and I remember sitting with her by a pond where the students had taken up scenic views to practice painting. I kept looking over her shoulder and making suggestions about her painting. Although I could clearly tell that she wanted to be left alone with her project, she was so patient with me. When all said and done, I inherited the portable 12-paint watercolor pan. I made many paintings that summer sitting at the kitchen table. My mother selected a painting I made of a little girl with a flower basket and framed, hanging it in our living room. I was very proud of that and felt like I had made it as an artist. It sounds funny now, but it’s a beautiful memory of how Mom fostered and encouraged my artistic development.
When I told Mom that I wanted to study art after high school she only encouraged and applauded me. She worked at the local college for several years, assisting students who were falling behind. Then she transferred to the Art Department where she counseled students who were going to school to major in the Arts. That meant that Mom and I worked and went to school in the same building for several years. It was profoundly special, not only to share that time with her, but to see my mother’s natural talent at encouraging the artistic careers of countless other budding creatives.
I know for a fact she worried about my future like any good mother, but she never once told me that I couldn’t accomplish my goal to be an artist. She showed by her words and actions that she thought I could go as far as I choose to. Now, I am forced to continue my artistic journey without her, but whenever I need a pep talk to stay the course, I know exactly what she would say: “That’s my girl.”
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was born and raised in Long Beach, California. I enjoyed reading as a child and especially loved illustrations and any stories about anthropomorphic animals and their adventures. I wrote short stories, wrote poetry, and illustrated my own creative animal characters.
While studying art at California State University of Long Beach, I honed in on oil painting with an emphasis on portraiture. Although the subject of history in grade school had never been a strong point for me, I surprisingly found the Art History courses to be fascinating. I enjoy examining the role of The Creative and how such individuals have played into the story of humanity.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting, I moved to Georgia to continue my artistic journey. It was during this time that I rediscovered my passion for the fanciful animal characters of my childhood which was now garnished with classical painting techniques and references to art history.
My style, which combines elements of Imaginative Realism with Old Master techniques transports viewers into a gilded fairy tale. I hope this enchanted world strikes chords of wonder, beauty, and humor in a way that is meaningful and humorous.
I am primarily known for rich, luminous oil paintings, but I also work in watercolor, gouache, and ink. A portion of my artwork involves pet portrait commissions in my trademark style.
My paintings are currently on view in Savannah, Georgia at Gallery 209 and Savannah Gallery of Art, and online at OliviaBeaumont.com
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In 2014 I married my wonderful husband. Soon after our marriage, my husband was diagnosed with several mental health conditions which severely limit his ability to work. There have been times when it has been necessary for me to meet the financial needs of the family alone, while also being the primary care giver for our child, who was born in 2018. While I’m relatively successful at building my small art business, the challenge of earning enough to meet the needs of a growing family can be overwhelming at times. There are days when I wish I had gone into a lucrative field, but there is never a day of work that I don’t enjoy.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Every day is a vacation when you do what you love for a living. With the love and support of family, I’m thrilled to say I am reaching the 13 year landmark of my business this year. I feel like I have built something special that people love to share.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.oliviabeaumont.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviabeaumontfineart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliviabeaumontfineart
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OliviaBeaumontArt
Image Credits
Paprika Southern (studio photo)