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Monterey Museum of Art presents Beth Van Hoesen exhibition

Monterey Museum of Art presents an exhibition of work by Beth Van Hoesen on view February 1-May 19, 2013.


Beth Van Hoesen, Sally, 1979-1981, Hors commerce proof aquatint, drypoint etching with roulette; black and brown inks printed à la poupée on paper, Courtesy of the E. Mark Adams and Beth Van Hoesen Adams Trust

Beth Van Hoesen earned recognition as a major figure in twentieth century printmaker by having mastered drawing and printmaking. Demonstrating a prolific and a keen eye for detail, Van Hoesen’s renderings of animals, portraits, landscapes, and flowers appear simplistic yet capture the subject’s inherent, unique qualities. Working from live models, the artist’s application of fine-tuned lines and careful tonal progressions developed through a precise process. Van Hoesen began with multiple preparatory drawings using graphite on paper, colored pencils, and watercolor before committing final decisions into etchings for her final prints. Though she followed a rich tradition of still-life and portraiture, a contemporary style and decorative elements within her compositions are interpretive, and divulge a psychological connection with the viewer. Her forms are raw yet refined, and border more on a naturalist perspective, capturing the integrity and unpretentiousness of the subject.

Beth Van Hoesen at the Monterey Museum of Art will encompass preparatory drawings in graphite, gouche, ink; and prints including etchings, drypoints, aquatints, and lithographs. All works in this exhibition are courtesy of the E. Mark Adams and Beth Van Hoesen Adams Trust.

Beth Van Hoesen died in San Francisco on November 16, 2010 at the age 84. She was born in 1926 in Boise, Idaho and her family moved to California when she was a child. In 1944 she enrolled at Stanford University to study fine arts, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948.. www.montereyart.org

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