Rhonda Beckham

“Bright colors make me happy. I favor acrylic paint but also enjoy exploring the use of raised surfaces on paper and creating collage.”

Coming from an artistic family, Rhonda Beckham's art journey began at a young age under the guidance of her grandmother and the critique of her mother. Her favorite memories are of the summers that she spent with her Granny. She remembers when she first found her Granny's art supplies in the chifforobe and asked if she would teach her to use them. She began by learning to draw then learning needlework then moving on to painting. She first began selling her art pieces at the age of 12. Always being very active and social in school, she graduated from a Mormon school then attended El Centro Community College in Dallas specializing in marketing and accounting. Beckham started coming to AFTS three and a half years ago, attending all available sections of our weekly open studio sessions before she became ill. Illness has not stopped her from producing work as she still paints in her apartment and is enjoying the new AFTS studio. When beginning a new piece Beckham stated she does better if she plans ahead but it is not essential.  She shared with us that she actually met her husband through AFTS and that her favorite food was chicken and dumplings and chicken fried steak.