Artist Biography

Kathy Beekman, a master finger painter whose soft pastel artwork emerges from the West and Midwest countrysides, lives in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where her home and studio are perched at 8,600 feet.  “The vastness of the natural landscape here inspires my work.  My paintings reflect how I think and feel about my environment.”

She grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a small city surrounded by the farming communities that continuously inspire her subject matter:  the barns, clouds, open spaces and streams that conjure up idealized versions of the landscapes she experienced as a child.  Her style has developed to include mountains and vast landscapes inspired, again, from where she now lives and the places she visits.  This style has a simplified graphic quality with a quiet reflective mood characteristic of all of Beekman’s paintings.

Her passion for the arts extends beyond her canvas.  She is a highly sought-after art career coach for artists who want to “rise above the rest,” an instructor in pastel painting to adults, and owner/designer of Chuckle & Chortle, a hilarious greeting card line.  She has authored two books.  The first book, Prosper: A Success Book for Artists, is packed with tips and real-life experiences offering crucial advice on how to reach personal artistic goals.   Her second book, Motivational Quotes: A Reflection Book for Artists, is an exceptional collection of inspirational quotes, along with easy to remember tips and self-reflection questions to motivate artists forward in their creative lives. 

A highly collected artist, Beekman has seen representation in Santa Fe, New Mexico for nearly 20 years.  You can also find her continuously featured in the highly acclaimed Southwest Art Magazine.   

Read more about Kathy Beekman on Wikipedia.

 

Artist Statement

Painting is my way of exploring my surroundings. It is my key to the secret garden, my way down the rabbit hole, my looking glass. By closely examining architecture, noting the way a cloud casts a shadow, or discerning the color of a mountain in the distance, I better understand the world in which I live.

Coloring books and doodles started me on my artistic path. From the beginning, transforming a piece of paper to reflect my thoughts and feelings has struck me as magical. I love the sense of fulfillment that I get from successfully conveying my emotions onto paper. This is how I best communicate.

Self-taught in the medium of soft pastels, no tools other than my fingers are used. Though I work quite deliberately, my unconscious is truly calling the shots. It steers my compositions, my color choices and their placement, and tells me when a painting is finished. Creating comes intuitively rather than intellectually.
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Resume

Born: Evanston, Illinois, 1971

Kathy Beekman has been painting predominately in pastel since the year 2000 after an inspirational trip to Mexico. A fine art graduate of Siena Heights University, Michigan, Kathy now finds herself instructing adults in the fine art of pastel painting. Now an active Colorado artist, Kathy is a member of the Art Student’s League of Denver and Past President of the board of directors for the Center for the Arts Evergreen. She has been featured in the nationally acclaimed Southwest Art Magazine as well as LUXE magazine and has authored the books Prosper: A Success Book for Artists and Motivational Quotes: A Reflection Book for Artists. She anxiously looks forward to again participating in the Desert Caballeros Western Museum’s Cowgirl Up! exhibit.

Recent Publications About and By the Artist

May 14, 2021, Shoutout Colorado emagazine, section “Local Stories”, heading “Meet Kathy Beekman | Professional Artist, Art Career Coach, Author & Greeting Card Designer”, article and images, Read more https://shoutoutcolorado.com/about-shoutout-colorado/

May 14, 2021, Shoutout Colorado emagazine, section “Unique Perspectives, heading “Insider Insights: what they know and we don’t”, article and image, Read more https://shoutoutcolorado.com/insider-insights-what-they-know-and-we-dont-6/

July 2020, SALT magazine online, section “Art, Trending”, heading “Bitfactory Gallery is Back; Art Exhibits in the Era of COVID19”, by Ezra Lloyd | “Open Spaces Art Exhibit, Kathy Beekman, one of five featured artists”, article and images, Read more https://saltmag.online/2020/07/11/bitfactory-gallery-is-back/#atbs-ceris-offcanvas-primary/

2020, Migrations in Late Mesoamerica, book, book cover illustration

2020, The Evolution of Social Institutions, Interdisciplinary Perspectives, book, illustrations pages 530-532

October 2019, Motivational Quotes: A Reflection Book for Artists, book, authored by Kathy Beekman

August 26, 2019, Voyage Denver, emagazine, section “Trailblazers in Lakewood”, heading “Conversations with the Inspiring Kathy Beekman”, article and image, Read more

July 2017, Southwest Art,magazine, section “Show Preview”, heading “Kathy Beekman”, article and images, page 60

February 2017, Southwest Art, magazine, section “Show Preview, heading “Cowgirl Up!, article and image, pages 32-33

March 2017, Annual Cowgirl Up! Invitation Exhibition and Sale, catalog, biographical information and image, page 9

March 2016, Western Art Collector, magazine, section “March Art Show Preview”, heading “Giddy Up! Cowgirl artists gather at Desert Caballeros Western Museum to celebrate women of the West.”, article and image, pages 86-100

March 2016, Annual Cowgirl Up!  Invitation Exhibition and Sale, catalog, biographical information and images

February 2016, Southwest Art, magazine, section “Show Preview, heading “Cowgirl Up! Desert Caballeros Western Museum”, article and images, pages 24-25

Nov/Dec 2016, Luxe Interiors and Design, magazine, section Colorado Artisans, image and text, page 174

June/July 2016, Santa Fean “The Art Issue”, magazine, section “Must Know Artists”, image and article, pages 54-55

September 2016, 20th Annual Art for the Sangres Buyers Guide, catalog, image and text, page 5

Santa Fe Official 2015 Guide, magazine, image and text, page 51

May 2015, Santa Fean Now, magazine, section “Opening Night, image, page 22

July 2015, Pasatiempo, magazine, section Pasa Week, text, page 64

August 2015, Santa Fean Now, magazine, section “the Buzz, article and image, pg 4

March 2015, 10th Annual Cowgirl Up! Invitational Exhibition and Sale, catalog, biographical information, images, pg 7

March 2015, 120 for $120 show and sale, catalog, image and text, page 8

June/July 2015, Santa Fean, magazine, section “The Gallery Showcase”, image, page 101

March 2015 Southwest Art, magazine, section Spotlight, heading “Cowgirl Up!, Desert Caballeros Western Museum”, article and image, pages 36-37

October 2014 Serenity, magazine, section Artscene, article by Cathy Jones, art image, page 53

October 2014 Colorado Music Buzz Magazine, magazine, section Artrepreneurship, heading “Defining Yourself as an Artist”, authored article, profile image, page 30

August 2014 Southwest Art, magazine, section Show Preview, heading “Kathy Beekman, Evergreen Fine Art”, article and images, page 64

August 2014 Your Hub, on-line magazine, section Your Contribution, heading “Evergreen Fine Art Showcases Bailey Artist”, article by Stephen Knapp, art image

March 2014 9th Annual Cowgirl Up!, Art from the Other Half of the West, Invitational Exhibition and Sale, Catalog, biographical information, images, page 5

February 2014 Colorado Music Buzz Magazine, magazine, section Artrepreneurship, heading “What’s the Buzz about CREATE?”, article, profile image, page 36

2014 Year Santa Fe Official 2014 Travel Planner, magazine, section The Gallery Portfolio, image and text, page 24

2014 Year CREATE MSU Denver, Turn Your Business into a Work of Art, brochure, cover image

October 2013 Southwest Art Magazine, section Pastels, heading “Discover Some of Today’s Pastel Artists”, image and text, page 135

May 2013 Prosper, A Success Book for Artists, book, authored by Kathy Beekman with Anne Vickstrom

May 2013 Passport to the Arts, video, sponsored by the Canyon Road Contemporary Art Association, filmed by Mayo Whaley

Recent Videos About the Artist and/or Her Artwork

2019
Beekman Fine Art & Design:  Created by Sandy Puc Video Team, about the artist and her artwork, 3:30 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCCMw0brzGg
ArtCoaching for You with Kathy Beekman:  Created by Sandy Puc Video Team, testimonials and interview, 2:17 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= ahuK1xZo4uY
Kathy Beekman Fine Art &Design – Client Testimonial:  Created by Sandy Puc Video Team, testimonial by art collector, 1:18 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= Als4wuC788Y

2016
Tourism Santa Fe:  Canyon Road Spring Arts Festival, 2 images
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UovVSh3D8SM

2015
Love in the Time of Dots:  WalkingDots printing company, image
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW4D-QRi_vo

 

Recent Invitational Speaking Engagements

2019
“Approaching Galleries with Confidence”, masterclass, Art Marketing Project, Boulder, CO
“Approaching Galleries with Confidence”, Boulder County Art Alliance, Boulder, CO

2018
“Make a New Year’s Art Resolution:  Set Artistic Goals and Reach Succes”, Boulder County Art Alliance, Boulder, CO

2016
“Self-Promotion is NOT a Dirty Word: 7 Ways to Effectively Market Yourself”, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ

2015
“Sell Your Art”, program speaker for the Evergreen Artists Association, Main Street Gallery, Evergreen, CO
“Breaking Boundaries: The Business of Art”, panel discussant, Center for the Arts Evergreen, Evergreen, CO
“The Business of Art: Navigating the New Landscape”, Center for the Arts Evergreen, Evergreen, CO

2014
“Marketing, Working Outside the Box”, round table discussant, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ
“Prosper, A Success Book for Artists”, book reading and discussion, Alliance Artists of Evergreen, Genessee, CO

2013
“How to Approach an Art Gallery”, webinar, Metro State University Denver, CO
“Working with an Art Gallery”, webinar, Metro State University Denver, CO
“Turn Your Business into a Work of Art”, panel discussant for the Denver Art Student’s League’s Business of Art Fair, Denver, CO

Grants

2021
Awarded the Colorado Arts Relief Fund Grant

Recent Honors

2021
Featured Alumni, Studio Angelico, Siena Heights University, Adrian, MI
Juror, “Heritage Arts Guild Exhibit”, Bemis Public Library, Littleton, CO

2019
Art Exhibit Dialogue, “Essence of Place”, Marigold Arts, Fine Art Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Juror, “Evergreen Fine Art Festival”, Evergreen Artist Association, Evergreen, CO

2018
Juror, “Evergreen Fine Art Festival”, Evergreen Artist Association, Evergreen, CO

2017
Juror, “Art from the Heart”, Palatteers Art Club, College Hill Library, Westminster, CO

2016
Organizer, Panel Discussion, “Self Promotion is NOT a Dirty Word:  7 Ways to Effectively Market Yourself”, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ

2015
Organizer and Panel Discussant, “Breaking Boundaries: The Business of Art”, panel discussion, Center for the Arts Evergreen, Evergreen, CO
Organizer and Panel Discussant, The Business of Art: Navigating the New Landscape”, panel discussion, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ

2014
Juror, for the Adopt the Creative Program through CREATE MSU Denver, Denver, CO

 

Recent Art Activities

2015 Co-Founder of ArtCoaching for You, Art Coaching Business, Bailey, CO
2014 Past President of the Board of Directors of the Center for the Arts Evergreen, CO
2013-2014 Member of the Board of Directors for CREATE MSU at Metro State University, CO
2009-2014 Member of the Board of Directors for the Center for the Arts, Evergreen, CO