Bev Bates

My husband and I have lived in Hoover, AL, for more than 36 years. In 2010, we built a home in Mentone and now spend half of every month on the mountain. After 30 years working in advertising, public relations and sales, I retired and started oil painting. That was 12 years ago. Raised in Mississippi, I have fond memories of the rural South—barns, an old country church my great granddaddy helped build, climbing apple trees in my papa’s orchard, picking watermelons and being part of a large family. I am drawn to those familiar scenes but enjoy painting a variety of subject matter in the representational style. Recently embarking on plein air painting, I hope to continue growing and experiencing the benefits of outdoor painting like learning to see details and nuances of color, plus achieving looser brush strokes. I enjoyed studying under several well-known Birmingham-area artists including David Nichols and Amy Collins, plus nationally-known artist Kathie Odom. I am a member of the Mountain Brook Art Association, the Little River Arts Council and the Alabama Plein Air Painters Association.