By Claire Winget

Beatrice Farah. Untitled (Lilo & Stitch). Embroidery and fabric marker on unstretched canvas. 14.5 x 17.5 inches.

Boston artist Beatriz Farah has been making art since before she can remember. From a young age, Farah loved to draw her favorite Disney characters in her sketchbook. Farah’s initial interest in drawing has since bloomed into a lifelong love of art that has called her to explore a vast range of mediums at Gateway.

Beatrice Farah. Untitled (gray dots skirt). Marker on paper. Private collection.

At the studio art center, Farah has expanded her artistic repertoire from drawing and painting to embroidery, fabric, and paper. As her experience grows, Farah’s excitement for learning

Beatrice Farah working on Untitled (Lilo & Stitch) in the Weaving Studio.

does as well. 

Prior to joining the community of artists at Gateway Arts, Farah’s interests in art became apparent as she filled sketchbook after sketchbook with her drawings. By the age of ten, Farah was en

rolled in art classes through Rhode Island School of Design, where she refined her techniques and explored other mediums. “That’s when I started painting,” Farah tells me as we look through her online portfolio. She

tells me how her time taking classes with Rhode Island School of Design gave her inspiration to explore abstract painting and fashion sketches. “Every class was different. I was always learning new things and it was so fun,” Farah says, describing her first formal introduction to the art world. Her time at RISD opened her eyes to the limitless horizons of art and gave her the foundational techniques to pursue her interests.

Five years ago, Farah’s mother found Gateway Arts and Farah has been an avid member of the community ever since. Not only does Gateway provide its artists with a supportive community and means to explore a wide variety of art, it gives artists an opportunity to sell their artwork with a 50% commission to private collectors, and facilitates connections with community partners such as museums.  “I’m happy about it,” she tells me of the work she has produced at Gateway. “This one is in a museum now. Can you believe it?” she asks me as we look at her painting of Santa Monica at Sunset. Looking at the gorgeous colors Farah uses to frame the Ferris Wheel’s silhouette, I can

Beatrice Farah. Santa Monica at Sunset. Paint marker, acrylic on canvas. 2019.

envision such a painting in any museum. 

While the opportunity to create and sell her work at Gateway is important to Farah, it is clear that the community of artists at Gateway gives her so much more than the ability to be a professional artist. “I’m so proud of myself every time I finish one of these,” she tells me as we look together over Zoom at an image of snow-covered pines she has painted. She labored over the painting for months, pridefully remarking, “I sold that one quickly. It makes me so happy!” Gateway has not only given Farah a means to continue to expand her craft, but helps give her the support to feel proud of her achievements as a professional. Although some members of the Gateway community are still meeting online, Farah looks forward to more of her co-workers returning to the studios in the near future.

To follow Beatrice’s progress in the studio, visit her portfolio page y current work for sale.