Beverly McKinney

Beverly describes herself as a self taught artist from Barboursville, WV. She became intrigued with art at an early age when watching her mother complete assignments for the correspondence course she was taking through Famous Artists. Later when she took Art Appreciation at Marshall University she really became "hooked". She had done some drawing throughout her school years but never thought of art as a possible major in college. Instead she started to Marshall as a music major. She did take one drawing class. However, life interrupted and she married and started a family. When time allowed it was art that continually called her name. She bought some supplies and "how to" books and soon began to try her hand at oil painting. An artist friend from Baltimore, MD., Margie Jones, was into watercolors and talked her into trying it. She took a few classes at the Huntington Galleries from Adele Thornton Lewis and began a serious attempt to learn how to paint. She worked for many years in both watercolor and oils. Her paintings were given as gifts to family and friends. As her confidence grew she started entering craft shows such as the Dogwood Festival in Huntington and Barboursville's Octoberfest. She has also been active in painting stage scenery for her church's productions for Christmas and Easter since 1990. Her paintings have sold to many individuals in Southern WV and the Tri-State area including several local doctors for their offices. Though she describes herself as self-taught, she has spent countless hours reading, talking to artists, visiting museums and galleries and generally paying attention to every piece of original art that she could locate. She believes that you can learn something from everyone you meet and that all learning is self-taught. "A string of degrees are much less important than a love for the work you are doing. The need to "do" art is much more important than the need to sell. There is no doubt that money is important in life, we all need it to pay the bills, however, art is therapeutic and is one of the ways that I keep balance in my life. To sell a piece of my work is just icing on the cake" she says.

West Virginia Waterfall 20 x 24 Matted & Framed $200.00

Ecstasy 16 x 20 Matted & Framed $125.00

Fantasia 16 x 20 Matted & Framed $100.00