Personal Expressions : Watercolors by Karen Beverly

On Display on the Circulation Area Wall from November 4th thru November 29th.

Meet the Artist Reception: Tuesday, November 12th, at 6:00pm.

"I am an artist specializing in watercolor painting and drawing.  I am relatively new to Athens, Ohio, moving from the east coast a few years ago.  From an early age I loved to draw, but had no formal art classes until college. I received my B.A. degree with teacher certification from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.  As a young high school and elementary school art teacher in Iowa, I took weekend classes at the University of Iowa and summer graduate courses at Mankato State University in Mankato, Minnesota.   

"At this time, my focus was in pencil and pen and ink drawings, with watercolors of buildings and landscapes.  In 1977, I received my Master of Arts degree.  Attending a workshop featuring artist Thomas Trausch from Chicago, IL, introduced me to the art of watercolor portraits.  The direction of my art changed dramatically.

"I generally work from photographs.  Watercolor’s inherent transparency allows me to try to capture not only the physical likeness of my subjects and their surroundings, but also the emotions that flow beneath the surface. My fascination with people, and particularly the innocence of children, has become the core of my creative expression.  Their sense of joy and wonder inspires me to catch fleeting moments in the gentle washes of watercolor.  Watercolor paintings and pencil drawings help me to create art that feels both deeply personal, yet universal." -- Karen Beverly