Beth Loftin Biography scroll down to view works
Beth Loftin was born and raised in the Osage Hills of Oklahoma and developed a keen interest in painting in early childhood. The human figure has always been her subject; for years she supported herself by doing commissioned portraits of Oklahomans. She relocated her studio to Bozeman in 1993.
The artist’s oeuvre is as much about color and composition as it is about storytelling. "As a painter, I focus on people's relationships within cultural and historical contexts," explains Loftin. "The people are from a time that still lives in many of us. They have a simple but profound story to tell and I want to help them tell it."
Ms. Loftin's work often features distinctive portraits of turn-of-the-century pioneer folk, ranch hands, and Native Americans, specifically of the Great Plains culture. While her nostalgic themes and bold use of color remain hallmarks of the artist's captivating style, many of Ms. Loftin's paintings celebrate private moments at the end of the work day, when 'work' meant manual labor: tired ranch hands asleep in the shade of a juniper, brothers cutting each other’s hair in the late day sun. The artist also continues her compelling exploration of the uneasy merging of settler and native cultures, as in a painting of two Indian boys side by side, one in a 1940's football helmet and the other in a full eagle head-dress.
Beth says of her work: "I am captivated by the history of this country, particularly that of the Central Plains and the Rocky Mountain West. I am drawn to people that lived a pre-technological lifestyle and am committed to preserving their memory. I have often focused on painting my subjects with a favorite possession or item that engenders a sense of pride, prosperity, and ultimately survival: a team of good horses, a cherished friend, a chair that crossed the prairie with them, a bumper crop or even a healthy flock of chickens to name a few."
"I want my love and admiration of these people and their simple, often eccentric, joys and hardships to come out of my canvases and bronzes. Notice the details, feel the moment, hear the voices, imagine the smell. See, for an instant the things our faded ancestors experienced, and then observe that we are not so far removed after all, that we can’t share a moment in time with them."
Ms. Loftin has been written about in a feature article in Southwest Art and was invited to participate in Butterfield's Western Art Auction. In 1998 she was chosen to be the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival poster artist. Currently Ms. Loftin resides on her ranch in Montana with her young son and assorted animals.
The artist’s oeuvre is as much about color and composition as it is about storytelling. "As a painter, I focus on people's relationships within cultural and historical contexts," explains Loftin. "The people are from a time that still lives in many of us. They have a simple but profound story to tell and I want to help them tell it."
Ms. Loftin's work often features distinctive portraits of turn-of-the-century pioneer folk, ranch hands, and Native Americans, specifically of the Great Plains culture. While her nostalgic themes and bold use of color remain hallmarks of the artist's captivating style, many of Ms. Loftin's paintings celebrate private moments at the end of the work day, when 'work' meant manual labor: tired ranch hands asleep in the shade of a juniper, brothers cutting each other’s hair in the late day sun. The artist also continues her compelling exploration of the uneasy merging of settler and native cultures, as in a painting of two Indian boys side by side, one in a 1940's football helmet and the other in a full eagle head-dress.
Beth says of her work: "I am captivated by the history of this country, particularly that of the Central Plains and the Rocky Mountain West. I am drawn to people that lived a pre-technological lifestyle and am committed to preserving their memory. I have often focused on painting my subjects with a favorite possession or item that engenders a sense of pride, prosperity, and ultimately survival: a team of good horses, a cherished friend, a chair that crossed the prairie with them, a bumper crop or even a healthy flock of chickens to name a few."
"I want my love and admiration of these people and their simple, often eccentric, joys and hardships to come out of my canvases and bronzes. Notice the details, feel the moment, hear the voices, imagine the smell. See, for an instant the things our faded ancestors experienced, and then observe that we are not so far removed after all, that we can’t share a moment in time with them."
Ms. Loftin has been written about in a feature article in Southwest Art and was invited to participate in Butterfield's Western Art Auction. In 1998 she was chosen to be the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival poster artist. Currently Ms. Loftin resides on her ranch in Montana with her young son and assorted animals.