I started drawing when, as a young girl our family left farming in Illinois and came to Venice, California. My Dad found work in the aircraft industry and our family discovered life on the Venice beaches. By 1947, I was helping Mom keep five younger ones out of mischief. When we got too wild in the house, Mom gave us pencils and crayons and put me in charge. Mom got some peace and quiet and I got a lot of practice drawing.
When we moved back to the farm in Illinois, I began to paint, using water colors, and was intrigued by the lush colors of the country side and the wonderful animals. Later the family returned to California where I met and married my husband Eugene. When my children were old enough, I went back to school. At El Camino Jr College and Long Beach State I took all the art classes I could, taking a degree in education and art.
In 1971 I moved with my family to Santa Cruz, California where we bought and operated a small cabin resort. There, my artistic expressions were woven into my life and work with family, Fern River Resort and our community. Now that our son has taken over the Resort, I have returned to my life long interest in painting.
I paint from life and from my photos, figurative paintings, landscapes and portraiture, in a mostly representational style. I try to capture and communicate something of life's precious moments. Painting first in water color I learned to bring movement, flow and light into my paintings. Painting now with acrylics I can achieve the translucent beauty and flow of water color and also have the long lasting permanence of acrylic. My challenge is to capture something that inspires me and hopefully others to see the beauty that is there.
Creating a California landscape or a beautiful portrait is a joy, making everything come alive in a whole new way. It is a joy shared, connecting me to life as I paint, to the person whose portrait I am painting and to the one who is commissioning or buying the painting.
If you are interested in my paintings, go to Paintings & Prints 4 Sale. If interested in having a portrait painted, or learning how to commission a portrait, contact me by e-mail, regular mail or by phone:
E-mail: bevbcool@sbcglobal.net Telephone: 831 335-0425
Regular Mail: Bev Martin
7415 Hihn Rd
Ben Lomond, CA 95005
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