Artist Beth Lepper considers herself a small town girl, and that hometown background shows clearly in her stunning watercolor paintings. Beth was raised in the rural community of Paxton, Illinois where her family “roots” go back four generations to the 1860’s. She is grateful to have been blessed with a gift for painting and for a mother who loved the arts and presented her with early creative opportunities.
Beth’s “formal” training began at the age of eleven when she and her sister were enrolled in a two week summer art camp. Each day focused on a fundamental, e.g., color wheel, figure drawing, perspective, shading, contour drawing and even plein air drawing.
In college Beth studied Communication Disorders at SIU and did her graduate work at EIU. She pursued her art education as well, enjoying several years of tole painting classes from an instructor who also exposed her to oil painting.
After raising her family and retiring from 35 years as a Speech Pathologist, Beth finally had the time to resume her exploration of various forms of art. She dabbled in colored pencil and mixed media before landing in a beginner watercolor class where she found her niche. She joined the Lake County Watercolor Guild and has continued her education by studying with David R. Becker and attending three-day workshops with visiting professional artists.
Beth Lepper approaches each painting with only the expectation of a new learning experience. If it turns out well,…. then that is a bonus!