ABOUT BETH: AGE 12

Beth is 12 years old and in the 7th grade. She loves to paint and draw; her special interests and hobbies include playing the clarinet and piano, basketball, golf, volley ball, and baking. Her favorite subject in school is science because she love the discovery aspect of it. Her favorite colors are pink and green.

Beth loves to work with clay and her work shows her attention to detail and a clear sense of design. Some of her work is functional (clay pot) and some is decorative (mask, tiles). Her piece "Cookies in a Cookie Dish" illustrates her talent for detail as well as her ability to communicate and enjoy fantasy and fun!

Beth is a born painter; her work is bold, confident and colorful. She has completed over a dozen paintings in the past year, each different in subject matter and composition. She works competently in both realistic ("A Summer in France") (see photos #5 and #6) as well as abstract works ("The Busy Town"). I think what I enjoy the most about Beth’s painting is her impasto brush work; the paint is so textured and juicy and brings a life and glow to each piece. Her color mixing is beautiful ("Fat Cat" and "Flower Trio"). Her compositions are carefully planned so that both positive and negative spaces are interesting to look at.

Another medium which Beth loves is photography; her photographic compositions are complex and interesting. One image of a tree, taken as she lay on the ground, became the reference for "A Lazy Day." (See photos #9 and #10.) Another photo, "peony," illustrates her ability to "see" creatively from behind a lens.

In addition to all of these interests, Beth likes to study the work of Master Artists and learn about their periods in art and their techniques. Her favorite artists are Henri Matisse and Georgia O’Keefe. She has more to say about that in my interview with her, following this article.

Beth is always willing to try new things and to experiment; currently she is planning an abstract composition to be painted on a wooden box and a painting of her own studio in preparation for the upcoming field trip to a local museum to view "Picasso: The Artist’s Studio." Beth even created and painted an outdoor stone marker that was made for the grave of a beloved pet. She is forever using art in her daily life.

For a recent school assignment, requiring research of Native American Indian artifacts and the study and duplication of one, Beth chose a living artist and a piece of her work; the result was a fabulous painting called "Magic."

If I had to choose one word to describe Beth it would be: ENTHUSIASTIC! She approaches her work with a true love and joy with what she is doing! She experiences the process of making art just as fully as the making of a piece of art. For this, she is wise beyond her years! (See photo #13.)

INTERVIEW WITH BETH, Age 12: October 2, 2001
What interests you about art?
“I like being creative and messy and it is just relaxing for me.”

When did you first start making art? And what did you make?
“I started in pre-school and kindergarten, making different things with construction paper, gluing and cutting and finger painting.”

Did you like finger painting?
“Yes, because it is messy!”

Who is your favorite artist? And why?
“I like Matisse because he uses bright colors and while his subjects don’t look realistic, they speak out for themselves, you can view the subjects in your own way. I like that. I also like Georgia O’Keefe’s big compositions, big flowers; I mean, why would you make a subject small when you can make it bigger than life!”

What is your favorite medium?
“Oil paints are my favorite, I am familiar with them and like them. I also like clay because you can dig right into the clay.”

What kinds of subjects do you like to paint?
“I like landscapes and still lifes.”

What would you choose as a career?
“An “artist - basketball player!” I can paint while I’m running down the court! (Just kidding!)”

What advise—what words would you share with others with regard to making art?
“It doesn’t matter if you are “good” or not, as long as YOU like it!”

What do you mean by that?
“It doesn’t matter if anyone likes it or not; what matters is that YOU like it!”

What is the most important thing that you have learned about art?
“Color mixing is important because if you don’t know how to mix colors it is hard to paint. For example, if you needed a light or dark purple, you need to know how to mix the right tints and shades that you want.”

What advise would you give to parents whose children are interested in making art?
“Tell them: Go for it! You can learn a lot of new stuff.”

Of all your paintings, which is your favorite painting and why?
“I love “Fat Cat,” the painting of my cat, Jordan. I love my cat!”

You can view artwork created by Beth by clicking here now!