Meet Beatrix Cromwell | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Beatrix Cromwell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Beatrix, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
For me, making art is like breathing. It feels like a necessity for life, and it’s something that I never felt like I had to consciously choose to do. Art and creation is so ingrained in who I am as a person that it felt unquestionable that I would pursue it as a career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The most important aspect of my work, what I take the most pride in, is how much I strive to stay connected with my childhood self. When I was little, I was constantly playing make-believe in the backyard and if I wasn’t outside, I was reading fantasy books and learning about creatures of both myth and reality. In getting older, I lost touch with that version of myself for a little while, but then all of a sudden it was like a door to the past opened back up and I was flooded with inspiration and all my forgotten childhood passions again. Of course, that makes it all sound like one magical day that everything clicked into place and I transformed into the artist I am today. I studied art in college (I’ll not trouble you with all the usual art school woes, but rest assured they were there) which really helped me develop a critical eye and granted me opportunities and connections I otherwise wouldn’t have had. On a personal level, I think the biggest challenge I’ve faced — and continue to face — is that I am quite a shy person, and to engage with the public, to put my work out there, requires a lot of social strength that I’m still working to bolster. I’m eternally grateful that the niche I’ve found is nestled amongst some of the kindest and most supportive people out there.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There’s a lot to do in Grand Rapids! So obviously a visit to the art museum downtown is a must, they’ve always got something new on display so no two visits are exactly alike. GR is known for its breweries so you really can’t go wrong stopping into one of them for provisions. For those of heroic persistence, I would encourage a journey through the unending labyrinth that is Century Antiques, with the promise of bubble tea afterwards from Ding Tea (my go-to is the honey milk tea with tapioca pearls.) For a quiet afternoon, a stop into Redux Books or Argos Book Shop is a must – or both if you’re as big a fan of hunting through used books as I am!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I don’t think she’d let me hear the end of it if I didn’t take a minute to recognize my mom and how much influence she’s had on me and my work. The books she read to me and the films she introduced me to as a child are still major inspirations to me now (even if I was too scared to finish Jim Henson’s Labyrinth when she first sat me down to watch it.) She’s my biggest cheerleader and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support.

Website: Beatrixcromwell.etsy.com

Instagram: @beatrixcromwell