Today we’d like to introduce you to Beth Watson.
Beth, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I grew up in south Georgia (Brooklet, to be exact) but moved away when I was 19. Lived all up & down the east coast and Europe for the next 20 years. Then I decided to move to Atlanta with my son about seven years ago from the Washington DC area. I had come to visit an old friend and absolutely fell in love…with the city and the old friend! Anyway, I had big plans to possibly get a job at the zoo, since I had a background working with animals and had just bought my house in Grant Park. But that proved to be a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. So I floated around, doing odd little things here and there. But none of them left me feeling, well… inspired.
Skip forward to my 40th birthday…I had always wanted to go to New Orleans, but had never been able to make it. So happy 40th to me, I booked a flight & took off! It was in a little shop near Chartres & Frenchman Streets that MyMy Butterfly was first conceived. I had found a whole wall of the most beautiful butterflies from all around the world. They were in simple, black, wood frames. But wow! The butterfly was the obvious main focus. I’ve always been interested in the Victorian Age, momento mori & things like that. So, this was an excellent opportunity for me to delve a little deeper into that history and create something I could share with other people. So, I promised myself that when I got home I would figure out how to spread and pin butterflies. 2 years later, all the hard work, broken wings, and more a few frustrated tears, here I am! MyMy Butterfly has taken off like a newly emerged Luna Moth although I’d surely like to stick around for much longer than those little guys do!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I guess you could call what I do is a sort of mixed media art. When I make something, I try to keep in the back of my mind that that particular insect may mean something sacred or special to someone…a remembrance of a happier time, loved ones passed, or sometimes it’s just a case that someone might not have ever had the opportunity to see this amazing bit of nature up close. Every piece I create holds a little piece of my heart, as well. So, it’s super important that all my insect specimens are obtained from researched and reputable insect conservation farms from around the world. Also, they were all collected after their natural deaths! Which I think is pretty cool. That includes anything that I find on my own on walks within our community. Occasionally I have had to do battle with ants, but no one has ever been killed purposely in the pursuit of my art.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Definitely get out in your community! Let them know you’re there and what you have to offer. Participate in neighborhood events, look for volunteer opportunities at artist creative spaces, and the internet is a great resource for finding likeminded folks from everywhere else.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I try to participate in as many local events as possible. So far, for 2019, I am confirmed to be at nine separate events, with 6 of those being in and around the Atlanta area;
Valentine’s Art Market at Cultured South on 9 Feb
Iron & Anvil Artists’ Alley at Ironmonger Brewery in Marietta on 9 March
Ormewood Maker’s Fest in Ormewood Park on 23 March
The Goblin Market at the Clarkeston Community Center on 13 April
Inman Park Fest on 27 & 28 April
Oddity & Curiosity Expo in Atlanta on 16 November
There will definitely be more events added as the year goes on. Also, if you check out my Instagram or Facebook pages and see something that catches your eye, let me know! I’m more than happy to meet you for coffee and to drop off a piece. I also love to help bring to life other people’s ideas. If you have something special in mind, please let me know! We can work together to make something super cool specialized just for you.
Contact Info:
- Address: Grant Park, ATL
- Phone: 240-626-3081
- Email: bethwtsn@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mymy_butterfly/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/postmymybutterfly/
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
