- Biography -

Beth has a curious mind and a fearless spirit. She likes to push the boundaries of what’s possible and seeks to confront societal norms through her work, leading people to think differently about the human experience.

 

In her current practice, Often her materials are found and upcycled objects -- she sees potential in discarded things, and uses them in unique ways to provoke an emotional response in viewers.

 

Beth has always loved art. As a shy child, she enjoyed creating and painting things all by herself. She was exposed to sculpture-making though a high school art class, where she developed a love for the sensory satisfaction of manipulating clay and other materials -- eventually discovering copper wire as a medium that presented fascinating opportunities. Primarily self-taught, Beth went on to spend over a decade evolving and fine-tuning her wire figures into what they are today. She also taught private art lessons and served as an art instructor at Tulsa's Day Center for the Homeless.

 

When Beth finally took her work into the public eye, she won an Honorable Mention for a piece in the Momentum group exhibit at the Living Arts Gallery, followed by two consecutive Best of Show awards from the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. In a Tulsa Public Radio interview, her work was praised as “eye-catching and arresting” -- as well as disturbing, since the installations force the viewer to grapple with cultural standards of beauty for women and other compelling issues facing society today.

 

Beth is grateful for those that have inspired and guided her along the way. From the helpful feedback of high school art teachers, to the encouragement of the first art gallery that examined her rookie attempts at marketable art, to the mentorship of the UK-based artist Andy Hazell, to the open-hearted folks in the Tulsa artistic community, Beth has been supported by a network of people that fueled her determination to figure out what unique gift she could offer to the world -- even if it’s the somewhat uncomfortable gift of exposing the folly and vanity of modern culture.

 

Beth is working on taking her art to a new level by incorporating electronics and gears into the pieces, engaging viewers in a hands-on experience and continuing to spark conversation and reflection about who we are as humans. (Also, there was the time she and her sister experimented with taxidermy to create a pair of rodent pirates guarding a treasure chest . . . but that’s another story.)