Today we’d like to introduce you to BethAnne Garcia.
Hi BethAnne, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I started in a one-stoplight town in Connecticut, playing in the woods and catching frogs. My mother had a large garden which helped me to gain a green thumb. Every Saturday, I attended art classes where I was inspired by the teacher’s old Impressionist calendar pictures. She saved them throughout the years as references for her students.
I went to the University of Delaware and studied Illustration, studied abroad in New Zealand, London, and Australia, and then drove across the country to California to do yoga near a wood stove on the beach. When I met my husband in Baltimore, MD, I said I’d never move to Houston, TX. But here we are in Kingwood with three kids, a dog, a big garden, and a dining room that I’ve converted into my creative space.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For almost 10 years, I worked in marketing. While I enjoyed it, I was not whole. I could not find the balance to work all day and then exercise my creative muscles. Then, we started our family, which made finding time for my creativity even harder. Eventually, I created a space for myself in our home and committed to spending time in that space. I found that creating something, no matter how small, gave me a sense of satisfaction that nothing else could.
In 2020, when all of life’s distractions were taken away, I learned to wake up before everyone in the house and just paint. It brought peace to my heart and connected me to a creative community that I could not be physically close to at that time. Now, I protect my creative space and time. I say no to things that keep me away from my work. I’ve made painting my job. It is what brings me joy and keeps me going. Not everything I paint will sell or be liked. But everything I paint is a practice in joy. I am grateful for that privilege.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Beth’s Tree Farm was created in the fall of 2020 when I hosted my first backyard pop-up market. The painting collection at that time featured a variety of Christmas trees painted on recycled fence posts. It reminded me of a Christmas tree farm where you pick your freshly cut tree. At the time, we were social distancing, masking, and not gathering. But I opened up my backyard as a safe space where friends and neighbors could come together.
It was the first time in a long that I had seen people. The work and my pop-up were received with great joy and it motivated me to continue painting. I have continued to specialize in paintings on recycled fence posts, and now the collection changes throughout the season; Texas wildflowers in spring, birds, chickens, roosters, and then pumpkins in the fall. I enjoy taking custom orders and creating memorable pieces for others to give as gifts.
I also love painting murals on fences in people’s gardens. Neighbors know me as the fence post lady. My painting style is very accessible. My style can be simple and flat or thick, colorful, and full of energy and brush strokes. People find a connection to the subject and my joy in turn brings them joy. It makes me proud that my kids see painting as my job.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
If creating something brings you joy, then do it. Don’t put it off. You won’t know if people like your work unless you share it with them. Say no to the things that keep you away from your creative space.
Pricing:
- 18-30″ flower fence posts: $40-55
- 5.5″ x 5.5″ mini landscapes: $25
- 36″ double panel pieces: $65 -85
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bethstreefarm.com
- Instagram: @bethstreefarm
- Facebook: @bethstreefarm
