Artist's Statement

          My name is Betty Ann Bembry; I was born Betty Ann Washington on a stormy day in November.  My family moved from Newark, NJ to a small town called Elwood as a result of a fire that burned down my family’s home.  While my parents were in the process of building their new home, I made my entrance into the world becoming one of eight children.

          I attended Mullica Township Elementary School and Oakcrest High School.  I discovered the love of art at the age of nine by watching my older brother draw pictures of girls from magazines.  I began by drawing pictures of scenes and of people I knew.  When I was about twelve years old, I won an art contest that I entered through a magazine.  I was very happy; I felt that I had won money.  I became a little discouraged when my parents were told that they had to pay for me to have lessons at home.  With the pressure of knowing that my parents had to pay for lessons, I stopped drawing for awhile.  When I went to high school I took an art class.  In this art class I had to read about art and draw fruit and things that I had drawn when I was very young.  All I wanted to do was learn how to paint and give my art more color.  It was like asking a three year old to revert to crawling.  I lost interest in art yet again.

          I got married when I was seventeen and had eight children; I lost one to crib death and one in a fire.  In between having children and working, I started working on my art again but only for friends and family.  I learned how to put color into my work by trial and error.  I began working with watercolors, then oil paint.  I then tried pastels and fell in love with them because I enjoy working with my hands and blending in all the different colors.  In my work I try to use bright colors on my inside and outside scenery down to the clothing that my characters are wearing.  I also show different emotions in my drawings like love, peace, harmony, humor, and sometimes sadness.  I want the viewer to feel drawn in and very much a part of the picture.

          For many years I just drew for pleasure and my plan was to leave my artwork to my children.  I’ve always been told that I should do something with my art, however, I’ve never had the confidence in my work and sometimes felt that my family was a little biased when it came to my drawings.  About ten years ago I started drawing pictures from my mind.  I drew things of my life’s experiences which is called “Folk Art.”  You will find that some of my art work is signed B.A.D. due to a previous marriage; my current work is signed B. Bembry.  I found my motivation to take my art to another level by watching one of Oprah’s episodes.  This is when I decided to let real artists look at my work.  This led me to the Hammonton Art Gallery, which in turn led me to Mr. Hunter who really got the ball rolling for me.  He gave me so much confidence and I felt I was sitting on top of the world.

          Currently my art is exhibited at the Atlantic City Airport (Art Port) for the month of December.  In January, 2007 my art will be displayed at Zelphy’s Center for the Performing Arts in Millville, NJ for the entire month.  For the entire month of February, 2007 this art exhibit in Ocean City, NJ at the Ocean City Arts Center.  In the summer of 2007, some of my art will be featured permanently at the Atlantic City Medical Center.
 
          My dream of putting my art on display has finally come true for me.  It is so surreal-- I sometimes can’t believe that my time has come.  I thank my family and friends for having faith in me even when I didn’t.  This is truly a dream come true.

Betty Ann Bembry is featured in the Ocean City Arts Center Gallery for the February, 2007 Exhibit. Meet the Artist opportunity was Feb. 10th, 1-3 PM when her rendering of "The Shores At Wesley Manor" was presented to Ms. Michelle Morrell of Shores during the reception in photo below.