For the third year, Pam Beaver’s artwork has been presented to local entrepreneurs as part of the Battlefords Business Excellence (BBEX) Awards.
“I feel so honoured,” the local artist said. “It’s such a thrill for me to go into a business and see my piece of art hanging on the wall there; I love it.”
Beaver estimates roughly 40 pieces of her artwork are now displayed throughout the community thanks to the awards. However, this year’s creation was quite different from her usual alcohol ink artwork.
The inspiration came from a commissioned moon-themed piece she had been working on for astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
When a black light hits the piece, florescent paint shines through the cracks. (Image Credit: Alyssa Rudolph/ battlefordsNOW)
“I had just finished doing the moon, and I was showing it to my husband out on the deck when Michelle [member relations manager] phoned. She said, ‘Pam, do you have anything you can do for the BBEX this year?’ I said, ‘I don’t have anything, Michelle, sorry … oh, wait a minute.’”
Beaver brought the moon artwork to a meeting with the committee, where it quickly received approval.
“They loved it!”
Creating each moon took several days, as the process involved layering materials and allowing them time to dry.
Osker’s Surplus Outlet wins BBEX Business of the Year Award. (Image Credit: Alyssa Rudolph/battlefordsNOW)
“You paint the phosphorescent paint on first and then you lay the crackle down and make the moon surface. As it dries, it slowly shrinks, which creates those cracks,” she explained.
The technique came about through a bit of experimentation with the help of a black light to make the art glow.
“I don’t know how I did it … I just did a little thing one day and I thought, ‘Oh, I can do a moon.’”
Beyond her own artwork, Beaver is also actively involved in supporting the local arts community. She has served as president of the Battlefords Art Club for the past four years.
“It is a vibrant little club … we generally have around 70-ish members,” she said. “Lots of retired people and lots of really good artists are there.”
—
