Beth Shadur
Beth Shadur is an artist whose work has been exhibited in solo and group shows nationally and internationally in museums, galleries, art centers and universities. Her work, comprised primarily of works on paper, is included in Christopher Finch’s Twentieth Century Watercolors, Abbeville Press, and in many catalogues and publications. Shadur’s work is represented in private and public collections in the US and abroad, and exhibitions have included shows at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Cultural Center, Butler Museum of American Art, Davenport Museum of Art, The Drawing Center, NYC; and at the Hudson River Museum. She has completed over 150 murals as both private commissions and as public and community art projects. She is part of the artist collective, Space 900, Evanston IL; and is Gallery Director at Prairie State College, Chicago Heights, IL; and serves on the Board of the Illinois State Museum.
Artist Statement: My most recent series aspires to explore the National Parks as pristine environments that need to be considered as sacred to protect the land and environment which serves as our nation’s natural legacy. The exhibition and research were funded, in part, from an Artist Grant through the Illinois Arts Council Agency; the support allowed me to visit and photograph the five national parks that are in Utah and do continuous research for my artwork. Most importantly, I am reflecting on the impact of climate change, tourism, and man’s use of natural resources on each park; the paintings will reflect these concerns by representing the natural beauty, plants and animals impacted and threatened, and using text to address the fragility of the natural environment there. This work was preceded by a series investigating similar topics from residencies in Banff, Canada; Ballyvaughan, Ireland; and Harfnarjardor, Iceland.