Beverley J Elgar Artwork on Display at Kent Public Library

 

                                      Works by Beverley J Elgar  
“Drawing is the root of everything…” Vincent Van Gogh 

My work represents the fragmentation of history, space and time, which are amalgamated with
a feeling, experience, memory, or place I’ve visited.  These are combined to create a conflict
between chaos and order, which are often repeated, altered, and disjointed.  

I am a British born American artist, and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Visual
Arts, Magna Cum Laude from the State University of New York at Purchase College in 2006.  I
was born in Staines, an industrial town on the edge of London in 1971. 

After my parents divorced in 1977, my mother, three sisters and I moved north to the county of Cambridgeshire.

Drawing has been an integral part of my life since early childhood.  Growing up with a makeshift
darkroom in the kitchen, it’s in my genes to draw and photograph the world around me. 
Singing and dancing is in my blood also; remembering the stories my mother shared with me
about her performing on stage among famous British acts, such as comedian, Tommy Cooper.

I immigrated to the United States from England in 2000 and have settled in the scenic Mid
Hudson Valley region of New York with my husband, two daughters, and four cats.  My house
and studio overlook a lake, which inspires my creativity. 

As well as making art, nature and wildlife conservation is my passion, and I consider the birds and mammals in which I live among, my extended family too!  I am a member of several conservation groups, including the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and FrOGS (Friends of the Great Swamp).

In my work, I apply bold and dramatic line to abstract subjects, which are often overlooked.  I’m
rarely seen without a sketchbook, and am always drawing from life, or my imagination.  I am
drawn to light and shadow, and fascinated with shapes, and how they are often repeated, or
connected throughout the synthetic, and natural environment.

In my studio, I have a handmade doll house, which I continually use as a reference for many of my works.  I utilize my background in photography, and British heritage to create a mostly monochromatic color palette.  The cool and vibrant use of blues, oranges and browns are prominent in many of my works too, which correlate with the architecture and climate of the East of England, and the interior furnishings I grew up with. 

Currently, I am making works in textile, and am in the process of applying to go back to school to study for an A.A.S in Fashion Design and Technology, where I will learn many aspects of textile design, with a strong emphasis in Entrepreneurship.

"It's All in the Genes"- Family of Artists Artwork on Display at Kent Public Library

GRETCHEN HOFFMANN ABENE (Mother)

Gretchen Hoffmann Abene began painting at a very early age. Her independent study

with noted established artists such as Albert Handel, Daniel Green, Mario Cooper,

Frank Webb, David Dunlop, Ati Gropius Johansen and Christine Debrosky has

strengthened her pursuit of color relationship and composition in the painting process.

”I am most inspired by the spaces that have been enjoyed by all of the families of

beings on earth.” Gretchen continues to work within the Music and Art communities and

balances her creative and family life on a number of different continents. Gretchen is an

Elected Member of Kent Art Association.

KATHY L. BRAUN (Daughter)

Artist ~ Architect

A native of Cincinnati, Kathy Braun was raised in New York City. After a career as an actress, she moved to New Mexico where she pursued a degree in architecture. Kathy, a Registered Architect, received her BAA from the University of New Mexico School of Architecture & Planning and has her own practice which concentrates on residential work. She later returned to New York and now lives in Dutchess County with her husband and two Labrador retrievers. Kathy works primarily with watercolor, graphite pencil and photography. She is inspired by forgotten and discarded objects and buildings, the rich diversity of the southwest and northeast, and the simple things in life.

Roxanne Loudin (Niece)

Photography

Roxanne Loudin is a New York City native who draws inspiration from the multitude of urban and rural settings where she spent her childhood. She received her first camera while living in Oak Park, Illinois and later developed a passion for industrial architecture and abandoned spaces while exploring the deserted mills and military forts of New England’s rocky seacoast. Through the process of documenting these settings, she identified beauty in the emptiness of these environments and poetry in the words written by others as they had their own unique experience. This is a collection of the words, spaces, and people of her hometown.