Carol Beckerman
Carol Beckerman studied art in New York City as both student and art model. Her work as an art model put her in contact with some of the best figurative teachers and artists in both New York and Portland. Her empathy with the figure and her love of the human gesture informs all her work. Beckerman has had solo shows at the Helzer Gallery (2003), Staver Locomotive (2015), Golden Gallery (2015) and has participated in a group drawing invitational at Gallery 114.
In a statement to a recent exhibition of her work Beckerman described her “Sixth Grade Epiphany” at P.S. 189 Brooklyn, New York, 1957: “Students were asked to create a ‘get well’ card for a classmate out sick. My card contained an image of a horse. As I finished the card I made a sudden decision: taking a pair of scissors, I cut off a lock of my hair for the horse’s tail. My classmates squealed and couldn’t wait to tell our teacher. Right there I knew I was on to something profound. This bold move was a striking realization of trust in myself, courage and a belief in the origins of my process. I was testing this place that has no boundaries, where I was free to explore and play. As artists this is a given. How we proceed from there is all up to us. The pen, graphite, paint, canvas, paper, the words we choose, the sounds and moves we make are the result of our interpretation of ‘playing fearless.’ How we get there is trust in yourself, believe in who you are; don’t wait for someone to take you there – know that who you want to be is already inside you.”
