Meet Beth Ames Swartz of Paradise Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Beth Ames Swartz.

Hi Beth Ames, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I moved to Arizona in 1959 as a newlywed married to Melvin J. Swartz, an attorney at law. I taught in the Scottsdale school system for several years while my husband was studying for the Bar exam and starting his law practice. After about five years, I became a full-time professional fine artist. Going down the Colorado River in a raft in the 1970s changed my life and my work. I bonded with the Arizona topography, and my artistic practice changed as I began to use earth, fire, and natural elements within my art. Eventually, I made a pilgrimage to sacred sites in the U.S. and Europe to perform healing rituals for the earth.

I have lived in Paradise Valley for over 50 years. Although I consider myself an Arizona-based artist, I’ve exhibited nationally since the late 1970s. My first show in New York was in 1979 at the Frank Marino Gallery; I began at ACA Galleries, New York in 1985 and, again starting in 2012. In the early 90s, I moved to New York for five years to help advance my career during that time and for a few years afterwards I exhibited regularly at the Donahue Sosinski Gallery.

Museum exhibitions helped further my career. In 1978, the Scottsdale Center for the Arts gave me a show that included 60 paintings. “Israel Revisited” opened at The Jewish Museum in New York in 1981 and traveled to other museums, nationally and internationally, from 1981-83. “A Moving Point of Balance” began at The Nickle Arts Museum in Calgary in 1985 and traveled to ten other locations. Phoenix Art Museum gave me a retrospective in 2002.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being a fine artist in this culture takes a lot of determination. You need to persevere in creating from your soul, expressing what’s important to you while not anticipating the type of art that you think people may want to acquire. The latter is a slippery slope and ends up compromising an artist’s original motivation for becoming an artist. The artist may end up more affluent, but risks becoming less authentic.

Another challenge is that I work in series that are connected by their philosophical concepts rather than a uniting visual brand. Each series is a puzzle I create from my need to understand what I call “wisdom systems” or a specific philosophy, and I try to solve the puzzle during my art practice. I always wonder how a particular series will evolve. It’s almost as if the work comes through me mysteriously and inexplicably. I usually take a year to create the first painting of a new series. I have been blessed because, when I shared these visions with potential collectors and supporters, they have supported my endeavors.

Sometimes a series is popular while other series may not be, but lack of immediate acceptance doesn’t deter my determination to paint authentically. For example, in the late 70s and early 80’s, I invented a process/ritual that involved fire, earth, paint, and other materials to develop what later became my “firework.” This “firework” (1975-1983) was nationally acclaimed and financially quite remunerative.

But then, I had a vision in 1983 to create a color, light, and healing installation that would be a participatory environment, including 7 large paintings in a darkened room with participants walking into colored light baths. The installation fused concepts of Western sacred sites with the Hindu chakra system. This exhibition, called “A Moving Point of Balance,” traveled to several museums. But, financially, it was a disaster as I lost all my galleries; they wanted me to continue producing my “firework.” Although “A Moving Point of Balance” as a series was a monetary sacrifice, I didn’t hesitate to embark on this part of my journey.

Your readers may be happy to know that I eventually sold the 7 paintings to one collector. After 40 years of it mainly being in storage, it will tour again in an artworld climate that is much more open to spiritual and transcendental art. Viewers can see the installation in my 29-minute PBS film on my website, “Beth Ames Swartz/Reminders of Invisible Light,” at bethamesswartz.com.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m proud that every series is a little bit like how civilizations have evolved. There is an archaic age when I’m learning a new language, there’s a golden age when I hit my stride with the series, and it chugs along, often creating 10 or 20 paintings, and then there’s a final stage where I’ve learned as much as I can learn and the paintings begin to become repetitive. Even though continuing might bring remuneration (the audience doesn’t know I’m repeating myself), I know it’s time to end that series.

I’m most proud that two primary motivations have accompanied my life and art practice for the past 60 years: doing Mitzvah and Tikkun Olam. Mitzvah is a commandment to perform good deeds. The emphasis is on deeds—not on positive thoughts or wishes, but on conscious acts of empathy and kindness. Tikkun Olam is a Jewish concept that part of our purpose in life on earth is to help repair the world. Both in my art practice and in my life, I have continued to live by these two ideals.

For instance, I believe in the importance of community. I felt a need, so I and another artist started an “Artist Breakfast Club” to support younger artists in our area; I’ve run programs for this group for over 25 years. Over 200 artists have come through ABC; currently, we have a core group of around 60 that come to events that I plan with museums and various experts in our field to support their art practices.

Conceptually the underlying philosophy of all my art is the idea that transformation or healing is always possible. I know we have so many challenges in our world today that it is easy to feel overwhelmed, but our artists are vital part of our society because they have both reflected upon the issues of our world while, at the same time, helped show us a path for hope in our future. 

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My mother thought I should become an opera singer so she had me sing for a neighbor, a famous composer by the name of Sholom Secunda. After I finished singing, he said, “Mrs. Ames, I think you should giver her art lessons.” And she did. 

Every Saturday morning, I used to take the New York City subway (for 10 cents) to Rockefeller Center so I could skate; then, in the afternoon I wandered and wondered throughout the Museum of Modern Art.

Pricing:

• For serious inquires, contact info@bethamesswartz.com
• $500-$35,000

Contact Info:

• Website: bethamesswartz.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethamesswartz (@bethamesswartz)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethamesswartz/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=beth+ames+swartz
• Other: PBS Film: https://vimeo.com/291409573

Image Credits
John Rothschild