Beverly McCutcheon – Artist, Curator.
I have been an artist for as long as I can remember. Certain motifs, such as the butterfly and eggs are emblematic in my work, the butterfly representing a metamorphosis and the egg symbolizing new life. Be it collage, assemblage or fiber I always incorporate jewel-toned colors. I especially enjoy cutting through all types of fabrics, paper and textures, in particular, soft, buttery leather. I treat my picture plane with great reverence, seeing three dimensions instead of two. Mixed media collage suits me. With collage, nothing is impossible. The need to experiment and explore also leads me create assemblage pieces out of wood, another favorite material.
I’ve always been drawn to portraits from any era and at first glance, one would not immediately describe my “Wallflower Portrait” series as such. However, they are my interpretation of portraits with a twist and a dash of teenage recollections of trying to become invisible by pretending to blend into my surroundings – I was and at times still am the proverbial “wallflower”. When creating my Wallflowers I draw upon one of my favorite quotes:
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even
touched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller
I find pure joy in the act of creating, regardless of the outcome. And I hope that in doing so my work will invoke a meaningful, personal emotion in the viewer.