Today we’d like to introduce you to Lori Beck.
Hi Lori, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Hello – I’m Lori Beck and I’m so proud you’ve given me this opportunity. Art is my lifelong passion. Teaching is my profession. I was born and raised in Upstate New York in a small town called Cortland. Although I no longer live there, I fondly remember how I started as an artist. I remember drawing my first large drawing/mural in 2nd grade to get out of writing about the westward expansion. I begged my teacher to let me draw what I learned and knew about the lesson, and she said yes. Students watched as I drew pioneers, wagons, and horses on the side bulletin board in my classroom. My love for drawing and the freedom of expression through creating art was born. It seemed so natural at a very early age, and I continued to excel in my artistic journey, and here I am!
I studied art during and after high school, and after spending time at Pratt Institute in NYC and Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, I received a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Art) in printmaking with a minor in painting at The State University of New York – New Paltz, NY. I have since spent many years exploring drawing, painting, and printmaking as a hobby for myself, my friends, and my family. As a mom, I set aside my art to focus on raising my 3 kids and fostering their creative minds. Becoming a teacher has allowed me to share my love of art and teach other young artists how to express themselves through their art-making. I’ve been inspired and enjoyed being part of the journey with all the students I’ve taught. Continuing my education, I’ve earned a Master of Teaching (MAT) degree and National Board Certification in Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood. I teach art full-time in a public school district in South Carolina and work in my art studio, creating original paintings on canvas and paper.
Although my initial training was in realism, I enjoy painting abstract art and finding images within my brush strokes. As an emerging/professional artist, I have been working on my art style, which is a mix of abstract expressionism, surrealism, and Fauvism – showcasing my use of bold and unrealistic colors in an abstract manner. I am inspired by how paint moves and flows on paper and canvas and the use of bold colors to draw my viewers in. I love a sense of good design, which leads me to see and imagine in the brushstrokes the images that emerge from my work. I like to create a sense of depth and movement within each painting, bringing the piece to life. The big question from most people is: “How did you come up with the ideas/images for your paintings?” the answer most often is I don’t know. It just happens. My hand is led around the canvas, searching for images to develop and create. Once I see a clear direction, I continue to develop it, choosing colors that convey feelings and emotions about the work.
Not all art has to be explained; I just enjoy it! I have spent years creating art but have never shared it with the world. On the advice of my 3 children, who are my biggest fans, I started an Instagram – professional account {art.by.lori.beck} and a Facebook account {Art By Lori Beck} to post and share my new work (Acrylic and Gouache paintings on paper and canvas) in the fall of 2022. The interest and acceptance have been gratifying. I am a member of the Trenholm Artist Guild and volunteer at a local art gallery, allowing me to be involved in the art community around me. I participate in local art festivals and have donated artwork to the Live Like London Foundation and the Riverbanks Zoo. The journey and support have been amazing and inspiring. I have been showing/selling work locally and am looking for representation. I am ready to become a full-time artist and would love to be challenged with commissioned works and murals for people and companies worldwide.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A smooth road to becoming and staying an artist starts early on. I graduated from college with very little information about how to pursue my art career. Thinking back, I should’ve asked many questions but have yet to. I just graduated and left. Most artists want a career making and selling art but must figure out how and where to begin. It was 1991: early technology, the internet, and social media. It was a time of walking to a business or gallery, showing your portfolio, and convincing them to take a piece or two and sell yourself. I did not do that. I was not confident. I didn’t know what to say. I left college and began working in a print shop printing t-shirts, which I enjoyed. It was fun and creative. From there, I worked at a printing company in Ithaca, NY, and I remember it being hot. I didn’t care about the work as it was offset printing envelopes, letterhead, and business cards. I enjoyed learning the mechanical part of this printing, the machines, and how they worked. I moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and began working in the commercial graphics field, and at the same time, I worked towards my teaching certification. I missed being in school (college) and on a college campus and decided I wanted to be a teacher. Once certified, I began working at a high school, teaching all that I had learned in college about art to high school students who absorbed everything I shared and taught them. Seeing your students’ achievements fosters your creative soul; it was very fulfilling and challenging at times. I also started a mural business that challenged me on a completely different level. Working on larger scale paintings in homes and businesses became a passion for me that I still enjoy. Soon after I became a mom, and my life and focus changed.
I backburnered my teaching and art career yet again and focused on my family and newborn, an easy choice for me as I knew I couldn’t give 100% to everything. Fast forward to a move to Columbia, SC, in 2002, I began creating and painting murals for businesses and individual homes and enjoyed working on large-scale art. This time, they allowed me to start focusing on my art again. I re-entered teaching in 2010 when my youngest daughter entered kindergarten; juggling a family and career teaching was a lot, and I stopped most of my art making. I taught for another 12 years, and in the fall of 2022, I started painting again for myself. After completing several pieces, my kids encouraged me to post my most recent work on Instagram; I didn’t even have an Instagram account. Sharing yourself and your art for the world to see and criticize is scary, but I figured I’d waited all this time. I had nothing to lose. Using Instagram and Facebook, I started posting my artwork. The response, reception, and comments were positive and uplifting, as people liked what they saw. It has encouraged me to continue creating work, posting to social media, and entering local art shows and festivals. I have since sold several pieces and made contacts all over!
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am working with gouache paints on paper, a watercolor-based paint offering more vibrancy and opacity than regular watercolor paints. I am also working with acrylic paints on canvas for the larger work. I work in varying sizes from 9″ x 12″ to 36″ x 48″ and have been working on larger-scale pieces for the past few months. My work focuses on abstract images with bold, bright colors. I sometimes create graphic imagery with simple shapes, focusing on color and composition. Other pieces of my work have a very playful and dream-like sense of surrealism. You will see references to symbolic imagery and strange images that don’t make sense in real space or time but will challenge your imagination.
I am most proud of my commitment to creating a body of work that represents my creative thoughts, ideas, and emotions, work that is true to me. I have become confident and fearless in my approach to creating art. It’s bold, loud, and intense, but it also represents my true feelings about how art should affect, capture, and draw the viewer’s attention. I want people to think, ask questions, wonder, and be curious. I want them to enjoy it.
What sets me apart from other artists is what makes me different. I don’t know; art is subjective. I am honest and true to my work; there is a little bit of me in each painting I create. I allow my personality and personal experiences to shine through in the work. There are a lot of talented artists out there creating amazing artwork. I am proud and grateful to be involved in a community of creatives (local and worldwide) who are brave enough to share their work with the world and support one another. You have all inspired me to be brave and a better artist myself.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
As a child, I was always “artsy,” always wanting to create something. My parents fostered my need to be creative and would buy art sets for me to complete. I was not fortunate enough to take private art lessons, but I did have an elementary teacher (Ms. Hall) who bridged the gap and allowed me to explore art at a young age. My high school offered many art classes, and again, I had 2 great teachers, Mrs. Lane and Mr. Spicer, who allowed me to do what I wanted with guidance. A little rebellious is an understatement; I wanted to draw and paint what I was interested in, and thankfully, they let me. The foundations in art I learned in high school allowed me to enter college confidently to become an Artist! I was also athletic and played middle and high school sports. I played tennis, basketball, volleyball, and softball throughout high school. I made the high school tennis team in 7th grade and played for 6 years as a singles player and 1st-2nd doubles team member. I also focused on tennis in college and became an All-American Athlete in playing tennis. My competitive nature was already within me from a young age, brought forward with my art in college and even now as an adult. I work hard at my craft, am critical of myself, and hope others see, appreciate, and enjoy my artwork. I am happy to share my art for all to connect with and enjoy.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://artbyloribeck.weebly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/art.by.lori.beck/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loribeck4/
