Booth's artwork on display at Magruder Healing Wall
GENOA — Through the end of the year, the “pretty” paintings of Genoa artist Rebecca Booth will hang on the Healing Wall at Magruder Hospital, bringing a few moments of peaceful distraction to staff, patients and visitors.
Booth is the latest member of the Greater Port Clinton Area Arts Council to have work displayed on the Healing Wall. It is an especially fitting venue for Booth, whose main focus is bringing joy through her art.
“My ultimate goal is to make people smile,” she said. “There is so much anger in the world, and I would like to bring a smile to a somber situation, to remind people that rainfall only lasts a certain time.”
Twenty-six of Booth’s Impressionist-style pastel and acrylic paintings hang on the Healing Wall. They include paintings of flowers, landscapes and the dog paintings she created for a 2011 Toledo Humane Society fundraiser. Her paintings were sold as prints and also transformed into whimsical wine labels like the “No Bull Merlot” bulldog label.
Inspired by nature, outdoors, flowers
Booth finds much of her inspiration for her work in nature, which she paints through the creative lens of her artistic eye.
“I like nature. I like the outdoors. I like flowers. I can’t tell you the names of the flowers I paint, but I’ll see a flower and I’ll paint it the color I see it,” she said. “Sometimes I’ll add color or intensify the color.”
Booth paints in “bright and bold and vivid” colors and describes her style as “pretty.”
“There are a lot of people who don’t like pretty work, but you are what you surround yourself with,” she said.
Although Booth is an award-winning artist who has been painting for years, she continually strives to improve her skill.
“My style is getting more loose. I’m getting more confident, and I feel my strokes matter more,” she said. “I had a teacher who told me I had to paint a six-by-six floral panel in 15 strokes. I didn’t think I could, but I did. Now I’m more thoughtful with my approach.”
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Pastels: Three steps, three days
Booth’s pastel paintings are created through a three-step, three-day process on sanded art paper. Her work has been influenced by historical French impressionists and modern artists like California artist Robert Burridge.
“People say pastels are drawings, but I see them as paintings because I have so many layers,” she said. “Burridge has his own color wheel, which is kind of neat. On my bucket list is to spend time with him, to take his classes.”
Booth’s feature on the Healing Wall exemplifies just one aspect of her involvement with Greater Port Clinton Area Arts Council. She jumps into many of their projects, from the summer Art Walks to the winter Christmas Market at The Arts Garage (TAG).
“Now that we’re at TAG, we’ll be able to do a lot more. There are seven artists with working studios there now,” she said.
Booth is also a member of Port Clinton Artists’ Club, which supports and promotes local artists.
“Port Clinton Artists’ Club is for the artist. We get together once a month to paint,” she said. “We’re not in competition (with the other group). We help each other out.”
Many of Booth’s paintings on display at the Healing Wall are for sale, and she offers commission work by request.
“Many of my paintings at the hospital are for sale, although a few are marked as being in a private collection,” she said.
For more information or to purchase Booth’s art, contact her at her marketing business, Imagine That, at rebecca@marketingworksimaginethat.com.
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Clinton News Herald: Inspired by nature, work of Booth displayed on Healing Wall
