Artist Statement
So, a little about me, beckp, as artist.
First of all, I use the name 'beckp' because of the internet. I used to sign my art as 'bp'. But google bp and you get British Petroleum, not my first choice for an image. Plus, I'd never get on the first page. Then it turned out that there are other Becky P artists and even Becky Purvis artists. But no beckp's and no artbybeckp as a domain name, so beckp I became, and that's how I sign my art.
I am absolutely a late bloomer. Didn't get started with acrylics until age 64 when I was given a chance to work in a studio where I had access to canvases, acrylics and brushes. Plenty of other media was available as well,
but nothing caught my attention like covering a canvas with great splashes of color. Out of this love of color, I began to develop a style that is sort of 'pop,' bright blocks of color and simple designs, sometimes lined with black.
Because I was often told that these canvases brought smiles to the viewer, I began to think of this style as 'Happy Art' which sounds a bit like the art is dancing around, but for now, I can't think of anything better.
Because this Happy Art can be tedious to paint, keeping the paint within lines, adding layers to cover all brush strokes and dadgum blotchiness, and then smoothing out the black lines in the texture of the canvas, I sometimes turn to alcohol inksfor a complete change of pace. From controlled to more go-with-the-flow, I'm still playing with bright color, but the process is loose and spontaneous, often experimental, and often surprising. I enjoy working with the inks, but they don't bring me the joy that I get creating the Happy Art.
