About the Artist
Each person is an artist of their own life. ~ beth vendryes williams
Artist Statement 2020
This process of journaling has deeply influenced my approach to art-making. I find beauty in usually overlooked everyday moments because I become present where I am when I journal. I LOVE that! When I had no studio, I decided to create a portable setup to tuck into my bag. It became a habit, and I still carry it wherever I go. Therefore, I learned to take notes around the drawings and deepen my creative thinking skills while integrating the everyday of life. Keeping journals continues to offer a window into my process, deepening imagery, and providing inspiration. Awareness of recurring themes and personal perspectives enhances my conceptual growth and creative development.
Working with the commonality of “just being” human each day, I capture moments in my journal or cell phone with sketches or snapshots. While going through the course of an ordinary busy day, an unexpected "fragment" of the unexpected catches my eye! I notice and remember it by making marks to recognize that "commonplace" beauty.
Conveying the beauty, truth and humanity is essential. My current series, "refuge," explores finding a place in our hearts to sustain this awareness, asking for the gift of compassion for ourselves and others.
My use of a medium varies depending on its particular ability to express the innate quality of the moment. I tend to begin sketching with graphite and watercolor. Then I decide what further development is needed, Focus on my mark making evokes the energy I feel as I immerse myself in "seeing.". The process of being true to personal vision is intrinsic to the work.
Why? I know that beauty is hidden in plain sight. I just have to be present to observe it.
beth vendryes williams
Reflection amidst sheltering in place.
Since the last time I spoke with you, life, as we have experienced it, has changed. I offer solace, hope, and prayers for you. I am finding a lot to think about as I work in my little studio.
who is beth vendryes williams?
Raised in Locust Valley, New York, beth vendryes williams attended Nazareth College. She was inspired to engage with a comprehensive concept, initiated by creating handmade paper, then photo etchings and letterpress prints of original poetry by her close friend (later to become her husband). The resulting hand bound book merges her artistry, love of handcrafted images and words with her everyday life and love.
After earning her U. of Iowa graduate degree in Drawing/printmaking, she continued to plumb her life experiences for inspiration, supported by two NYC grants for her exhibit and compilation of “Portrait of the city through a Neighborhood”. In 1989, she began teaching art, developing her own curriculum, incorporating art history & creative habits, which meant students created yearly journals and individual portfolios.
“You can be an artist with the material of your life,” is distinctly characteristic of beth’s creative process. It connects her life with making marks that are transformative.
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