Meet Beverly Marshall | International Professional Artist

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

Hi Beverly, one of the most rewarding things about getting to know so many entrepreneurs and creatives is seeing first-hand how many of them are focused on so much more than just financial results. So many of the folks we connect with are focused on having a positive social impact on their community or the world at large. Can you talk to us about how you are helping the community?
I am an artist and I think especially now, art is extremely important. It can speak when we can’t find the right words to say. It can be amazing the amount one can express and another can understand from a few strokes of a pencil. Art has a way of bridging gaps and bringing people together. It has a way of bridging diversity and speaking to the heart. Art has a way of healing. It is a powerful force for change in our communities and the world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My artwork is known for its unique emotional aspect. I love to draw people, and I love to capture the emotions just under the surface. Pencil drawings are my specialty. What sets my art apart from most, is the detail in the detail at times. I love to mix images, so you see one image weaved thru another, that ultimately tells a story. I love to capture those emotions, you know the ones that can make you drop to your knees, and the ones that can make you soar. I want the work to be an experience. One that the viewer feels every piece of the emotional aspect of the work without any doubt. I want emotions to leap from the work and grip your heart. These things set me apart from other creatives. I have been a professional artist now for about 8 years. It’s been quite a journey. I have learned a lot. I am very much an introvert. So, learning to step outside of myself and leave my comfort zone was a challenge. I remember being at my first featured artist reception and being terrified at speaking with people. It was unnerving. I practiced for days ahead of time thru visualization. I have grown so much since then. Public speaking is not so much an issue anymore. I have expanded my horizon in many ways that include becoming a board member for the HAL, exhibiting, competing in the art word and teaching at two locations. I teach drawing classes at the Peter Powell Roberts Museum of Art and Culture and painting at the Highlands Art League. The one thing that I would like for people to know is this. Chase your dreams. Go after those things that set your soul on fire. Allow yourself to grow. If you have a passion for something, do it. This world is full of so much that can be amazing. Embrace what drives you. The world needs more of this.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend were coming for a stay, I would have to show her all the things that keep me here. All the art and culture I love about living in the Sebring area. First, I would introduce her to the Jacaranda hotel in Avon Park. The feel of the place is beautifully historic with all the ambiance of time gone by. Its full of antiques from its hay day in the 1920’s. Pictures of the famous from a forgotten time, line the walls. Faces like Ali Capone, Babe Ruth, George Burns, and many more vacationed here. The place even has the original elevator in operation. It a pretty amazing place to stay, like stepping back in time. The Peter Powell Roberts Museum of Art and Culture would be on the to do list. It is a gem in the area. Beautiful scenes line the walls of paintings done on hand made wooden canvas created by a Florida master Artist. It is incredible to see and why I love to teach there. Its inspiring. A visit to Circle Park in downtown Sebring is a must see with its beautiful trees, picnic tables and antique streetlights that line the park and walkways. Store fronts and restaurants surround the park. One of my favorites is Dee’s Place. It’s a local dinner with that real hometown feel. A visit to the Highlands Museum of the Arts on Lake Jackson is a must. The museum always has interesting art exhibits from up and coming artists. I would recommend a walk around back by Lake Jackson as the sun is setting. The sunsets at the park are amazingly beautiful. God paints such beauty in the sky there. A picnic dinner at the lake as the sunsets is a must do. The next stop would be the City of Murals in Lake Placid. A walk about the city streets and see the 60 murals that line the walls of many businesses in the area. Its quite the site to see. A visit to the Chamber of Commerce there to pick up a guide is a must. They have a viewing room to see all the original concept artwork of the murals as well as a video of their creation. A stop into the Caladium Arts and Crafts Coop is a must. It is full of original artworks, and tons of hand-crafted items.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Wow! So I have got to tell you there are a few. They always say it takes a village… and how very true that is. First and foremost my kids. Josh, Tina, Frank and Sal have been amazing since I started this artistic journey 8 years ago. They have cheered me on every step of the way and are my biggest supporters. I hope I have made them as proud of me as I am of them. A very special shout out goes to my son Josh who passed away in a drowning accident. He was a disabled young man, who, no matter what he faced, never gave up. He was happy and always tried his best. His kindness will always be with me. He taught me much. Always be strong, never quit, give it one more try, be kind, share, hold doors, and always do your best. For those life lessons, I owe him much. I will always carry him with me. Much of what I learned from him carries over in my art and how I treat others. I have a best friend; her name is Joelle Doherty. We have been tight now for about 10 years. She is amazing. With the urging from her, my kids and some other friends, I began drawing professional. Their encouragement gave me the power to take those first steps to becoming a professional artist 8 years ago. They believed in me, when I was not so sure that I believed in myself. I would have never taken those initial steps without them. Today I am an international award-winning artist. It has been quite a journey. Joelle has cheered me on every step of the way. For that I owe her much thanks. I remember when I joined the Heartland Cultural Alliance a number of years ago. They had an art exhibit at the Kenilworth Hotel in Sebring. I submitted a couple of my pencil drawings to exhibit. I met Fred Levitt and his wife Gail the night of the opening. Fred has been an inspiration since my early days as a professional artist. He was the president of the HCA at that time. He took one look at my pencil drawings and became a strong encouraging force. I will never forget what he told me. He said that I draw from the heart, and not just polite art that matched the sofa. He said that my road would be a harder path because I did not draw to please. He said that I would have to blaze my own trail. From that day on, he came to all my local shows. Any time I exhibited locally, him and his wife Gail were always there and always supportive. I watched him struggle to open the Peter Powell Roberts Museum of Art and Culture in Avon Park, and I watched him triumph when the doors opened. He invited me to teach on the museum floor surrounded by all of Peter Powell Robert’s beautiful works. It’s an inspiring place to teach. It feels so much like home. I still teach there till this day. And finally, the Highlands Art League and the Highlands Museum of the Arts in Sebring. They were among one of the first galleries that my artwork hung in. It was among one of the first places that I taught children’s drawing classes. When one of my works won inclusion in the international competition for Embracing Our Differences in Sarasota, they cheered me on, and that work now hangs on the outside wall of the Visual Arts Center at the HAL. Every step of the way they encouraged and inspired growth in me. In January of 2020, they invited me to join their board. To step into a new role and join this inspiring group of people that includes Gloria Peters (President), Susan James Gunter (Director), Keith Gunter, and Marcia Davis. So like I said, it takes a village. Every step of the way, my path has been lined with people who dared me to be better, to excel, to create and to step out of my comfort zone. To them I owe much. They gave me courage, and inspired me to reach higher, and I have. Their support has meant more to me they will ever really know. It has taken a village.

Website: https://bevythefirst.wixsite.com/marshallarts
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bevythe1st
Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/bevythefirst
Other: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/beverly-marshall/shop

Image Credits
Drawing created by Beverly Marshall