Member Artist
October 2020
Beth Cartland
Artist Statement
I love the physical process of applying paint to canvas. The spontaneous application of color and line to the canvas gives me a real sense of freedom and energy. With contemporary paintings there is always an ongoing dialogue between the artist and the work in progress. Each painting has its own unique demands, and it is my commitment to resolve each painting to its best conclusion. My husband, a career Army Officer and I lived in many areas of the United States and in Europe with our family. This gave me the opportunity to study a variety of art and the exposure to talented teachers and a variety of ways to express my own vision. “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see” H.D. Thoreau I have exhibited in the United States, China, Venezuela, and with the Arts in Embassies Program. I received a Masters of Fine Arts degree from The American University in Washington, DC. I studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and the Corcoran College of Art and Design. My home is in Washington, DC, where I live with my family and have my studio. Beth Cartland August 2020
To paint in an abstract style gives the artist a sense of freedom of expression, but it is a challenge to communicate feelings using only line, paint, color and texture. Many people are more comfortable with objective reality and to stir a response, either negative or positive, is to defy their calm and have them re-examine their perceptions. “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see” H.D. Thoreau.
I was born in Kansas City, Mo, a city with a delightful mid-western reality. My uncle, artist John Steuart Curry, was a well-known and successful painter of Middle America. I was surrounded by his art and absorbed the idea that all paintings should have a certain look. It was wonderful but it didn’t excite me. It wasn’t until I started my own art journey that I discovered abstraction.
My husband was a career Army Officer and we lived in many areas of the United States and also in Germany for three years. I have studied art and painted and exhibited extensively.
I have exhibited in China, Venezuela, and with the Arts in Embassies Program of the U. S. Department of State. I received a Masters of Fine Arts degree from The American University in Washington, DC. I also studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and the Corcoran College of Art and Design. My home is in Washington, DC, where I live with my family and have my studio.
For inquiries contact the artist directly:
www.BethCartland.com
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