Location: United States
Graduate of MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) 1973
I worked as the graphic designer for the Mayor of Baltimore, William Donald Schaefer from 1974-1981
Self employed land Title Abstractor 1984-2004
Resumed art career full time 2011-present
I am a re-emerging artist after working in other fields to support my family. As an empty nester, I have the freedom to do as I please, and my art is what pleases me. I work in various mediums depending on my mood and how I want the subject to be portrayed. At the moment I am working a lot in scratchboard, often adding color if it is necessary. This is a very unforgiving medium and mistakes are sometimes impossible to correct. I enjoy pushing the medium to do things that normally aren't done. Attention to detail is for me the icing on the cake. I encourage the viewer to have an intimate experience by drawing them in close to see all the minute details. Often I add a bit of humor, or depict some flaw to make it more than just a pretty picture...to make it real as I see it. I love working with a buyer to customize some pieces especially portraits of loved ones or their pets. My work often tells a story. Some are obvious, and others I explain. Each viewer is free to let their imagination make a story that relates to them.
I feel that at this point in my life, I have lots of time to make up for and so many pieces just waiting to be done.
I am working on a new website which will include my most recent works. You can view some of them on Facebook or my website, www.BetsyFrahm.com Please contact me at 410-913-6806.
My most current work is done in scratchboard....a very unforgiving and yet addicting medium.
I am pushing this medium to it's limits trying different coloring methods to achieve the desired results.
I may be including a magnifying glass with each original I sell so that the miniscule details can be seen.
I love horses, and this particular Spanish breed is exceptionally beautiful. Photo courtesy of free reference photo site. It was done totally with a scalpel.
The photo reference was taken by a young photographer who lay in the marsh for two hours to get this shot. Evan Lesko. There was a debate about whether this bird was a juvenile blue heron or an egret, hence the title.
This was commissioned by the employees of the doctor who owns this dog, Rufus. Unfortunately the dog is dying of cancer and the employees are going to give it to him once the dog is gone so he has a reminder of his beloved dog. No news so I guess Rufus is still fighting to live.
I was in Las Vegas eating steamed Maryland Blue Crabs. I live in Maryland, and hadn't had any crabs all season. This was the most delicious still life I ever ate.
This is part of a series I am doing on shoes. Each piece tells a different story. At one time I had dreams of being a ballerina. Thank goodness it was only a dream.
I wanted to get a bit racy here. I could say it is a self portrait but the only thing that is mine is the necklace I wear everyday. I couldn't find the perfect title so I threw it out there and someone came up with Calli, short for callipygous which means perfectly proportioned butt. So Calli it is.
12x16" scratchboard with inks and colored pencils. Ref image is my own.
oil on canvas. Passing by on my way to an antiques car show, I glanced over at this scene of an outhouse. It was just picture perfect and I knew I wanted to capture this idyllic little scene.
11x17" scratchboard paper and colored pencil. This was done as a tribute to the JFK and was appropriately finished on the 50 th anniversary of the assassination. The horse following the hearse with empty boots backward in the stirrups was an image I carried with me since I was a child.
9x12" scratchboard and inks. My emphasis was on the texture of the weathered wood on the wagon. I tried several experiments with this just to see how best to manipulate the medium.
scratchboard. Part of my shoe series.
12x18" scratchboard and inks.
12x18" scratchboard and ink. Part of a series.
“Hermosa Andalusia”
“No rEgrets”
“This Man's Best Friend”
“Maryland Blues”
“Dancing Queen”
“Calli”
“"What Happens in Vegas..."”
“Pretty Privies”
“Riderless Horse”
“Socks' Siesta”
“Starcrossed”
“Footsies”
“Waiting for The Ferry”
