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Inspired by the
colorful flowers blooming only two weeks after Hurricane
Hugo struck St. Croix in 1989, Artist Betsy Campen decided
to devote herself full time to her painting. “When I left
Richmond, Virginia, I was just a Sunday painter,” she says.
“But, after Hurricane Hugo, I found it was a lot easier to
push a paint brush than a wheelbarrow.” To this day, Betsy
continues to paint eight hours a day, every day.
For the past several years, Campen has concentrated her
artistic efforts on paintings of St. Croix’s well-known
structures including Government House, the Frederiksted
Apothecary, the waterfront in Christiansted and many others.
“I can’t get enough of St. Croix,” she adds. And
demonstrating her fine sense of humor as well as her
artistic spirit, she has ‘captured in time’ scenes as
diverse as her “View of WAPA” (from the fort) and the old
“Baron Spot Bar”.
Somewhat of a child
prodigy, at age 3, Betsy’s parents discovered her “artwork”
on the blank pages of their encyclopedia, so a friend at the
bank gave her used paper to draw on. At the age of 9, Betsy
took an art class under a local portrait painter, Louise B.
Dixon. She sold her first painting at age 12. In 1975 Betsy
graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond,
Virginia. In 1976, Betsy came to St. Croix for the first
time and lived for four years before returning to Richmond
until 1989.
Her work could be classified as photo realism, and she works
in oils and watercolor. Her paintings do not show brush
strokes. Betsy works strictly from photography to gather
information. Her heroes are the photo realists Jack Beale,
Helen Frankenthaler, and Chuck Close.
Click thumbnails below
to view larger prints
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[/photogallery/photo00017752/real.htm]
Art © Betsy Campen. All rights
reserved.
When asked why she chose to paint a red “63 Chevy” (which
was printed in the September issue of Art Business News
magazine), she says it is because she “likes reflections.”
Campen plans to paint a series of red cars in the near
future. “It may not be very St. Croix, but I need to
continue my own professional work,” she adds.
Ms. Campen volunteers as an Art Teacher at St. Joseph’s High
School where she hosts a Friday afternoon class attended by
21 young artists from the 9th to 12th grades. She says
several of her students are exceptional artists and possible
art college material.
Betsy Campen’s prints are collected by locals and visitors
alike. Betsy says she is most proud when native Crucians
living in the states choose her paintings of St. Croix to
decorate their walls, whether it be their office or private
homes. “To see St. Croix live on elsewhere through my
artwork is quite an honor,” Betsy adds.
Betsy Campen has been represented by Many Hands for more
than 25 years. This year will be her 14th year exhibiting
her work at the Good Hope School Art Show. You can see her
paintings and prints on display at Many Hands, Karavan West
Indies, the Divi Hotel Gift Shop or at her home gallery
(778-1532).
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