"Beth's insight and intuition are inspiring. Her efficiency and flexibility make her a pleasure to work with." --Lisa Belt, PTA president Ockley Green Middle School
Artist Biography
Beth is a Northwest native and has been making art for over 30 years. She pulls materials from everyday life, relying on them to guide her and give their experience to her artwork. Sometimes her work is small and made alone; gestures of gratitude. Sometimes it is big and made in community; gestures of transformation. What it all has in common is the power to create a sense of connection; to self, and community and the planet that sustains us. Our white supremist culture has stripped us of this sense of connection, of our humanness. With each piece she is tending to our loss, cultivating connections, and strengthening routes and bridges back to our humanity.
Teaching Philosophy
Making art with others is a powerful tool for cultivating connection; connection to self, to community and to our planet. When we feel connected we are engaged and invested. To cultivate this connection in the classroom I use group agreements, affirmations and mindfulness exercises alongside the art activities that stimulate creative exploration and play. Students help me grow through visual and verbal assessment, asking and answering questions in a variety of formats and often voting on the trajectory of a project. All of my work is about cultivating connection. As we strengthen that sense of connection we are strengthening the possibility for a bright and liberated future for all.
