South Florida Visual Artist Beth Amato

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1971, Beth Amato has been an artist for her entire life. Her creative journey has been significant and broad. Beth has always pushed the boundaries of artistic expression, starting with her early years at Rhode Island College and continuing through her 1996 BFA in computer animation from Ringling College of Art and Design.

When Beth started her career in the male-dominated fields of computer simulation, arcade games, and advertising she excelled, producing thousands of projects and winning numerous awards in a short period of time. Her work underwent a huge transformation when she began focusing on fine art, which gave her the freedom to combine old and modern media (traditional & technology) into jewelry, paintings, metal prints, and interactive experiences. Beth would rather just be known as an artist that uses a variety of “paint brushes” to bring her ideas to life.

Beth has been a resident artist at Pembroke Pines, Florida's Studio 18 Art Complex since 2010. Her contributions to the community have included a range of engaging and interactive works that invite spectators to consider their own role in society and the wider universe. Her installations frequently encourage interaction and conversation, dismantling barriers for people who would not typically feel accepted in the art world.

Several accolades and recognitions Beth has received attest to her commitment to fostering inclusive and motivating work and creative cultures. A recipient of multiple Telly Award wins, including a Bronze in 2016 for "Strings" and two Silver wins in 2001 for her work with Zimmerman Partners Advertising, she was appointed an Honorary Caregiver by Cleveland Clinic Florida in 2019. Her achievements also include awards from the Broward County Cultural Division, such as a Professional Development Program Grant in 2011 and a Creative Investment Program Grant in 2015, as well as the Best Mixed Media Award from the 2014 Dania Beach Arts & Seafood Celebration.

Collaborations with dancers and performers are common in her installations; one such example is the 2016 "Deep in the Dark Forest" piece, which combined animations with dance performances by Body & Soul Dance Theatre. Her participation in various group and solo exhibitions, such as "Kingdom Animalia" (2020), "Dance Through The Ages" (2015), "Psychosis" (2014), and Red Eye featuring the bluapple Poetry Network (2014), demonstrates her collaborative attitude.

Beth's recent achievements include:

Best Digital Artist at the 25th Annual Art & Music Fest Pembroke Pines (2023)

Studio 18 Resident Artist Exhibition “Work/Study” (2023)

Studio 18 Group Exhibition “Praxis: Time Passing” (2023)

IS Projects X Studio 18 Printmaking Exhibition “Chance Encounters” (2023)

Weston Art Guild 14th Annual Juried Exhibition (2022)

Weston Artist Guild “Brighter Than Springtime” at the Coral Springs Art Museum (2022)

Best Digital Artist at the 23rd Annual Artfest in the Pines (2021)

Guest Lecturer at Weston Artist Guild on incorporating technology into traditional artistic practice (2021)

Studio 18 Past & Present Resident Artists Exhibition “Cheers to 11 Years” (2021)

Beth's work is inspired by existential ideas and inventiveness, and it is always changing in terms of medium, methods, and procedures. She hopes to inspire a wide range of people to interact with her art, pose inquiries, have conversations, offer criticism, and ultimately get inspired to pursue their own creative endeavors.

Her long history of exhibitions includes noteworthy ones like "Visual Harmonics" (2014), which combined animation, visual art, and original music by local musicians, and "Play: The Art of Toys" (2019), where she provided an interactive, gigantic kaleidoscope for two. Additionally, in 2019 Cleveland Clinic Florida highlighted her as the first artist displayed at the Coral Springs Family Health Center.

Beth's commitment to the art community extends beyond her own creations. She enjoys mentoring and interacting with other artists and art enthusiasts, fostering a vibrant and supportive creative environment. Her work not only captivates but also challenges and inspires, making her a significant figure in the contemporary art scene. Not only a visual artist but an admirer of all things creative, she also collects and supports the work of artists she enjoys.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Using mixed media and metaphors as the visual foundation, my work explores the dichotomies of order/chaos, light/dark, tension/slack, and juxtaposition. It is not only visually complex but also conceptually layered. Building individually crafted works layer upon layer, usually in the hundreds, my imagery whether static or animated creates a sense of space within the frame. Often drawing inspiration from astronomy and scientific phenomena, I combine my digitally based art with my traditionally made elements, fusing the many layers together into psychedelic and usually abstract self-portraits that many viewers instinctively feel connected to without having a personal relationship or knowledge of me. It is extremely rewarding to engage with those drawn into my work and to open a door to real conversation that stems from a primitive place within each of us.

SELECTED CLIENTS

EDUCATION

Ringling College of Art + Design, BFA Computer Animation recipient 1996
Rhode Island College, BFA Fine Arts candidate 1991

DISTINCTION

2023 25th Annual Art & Music Fest in the Pines, Pembroke Pines, Best Digital Artist

2021 23rd Annual Artfest in the Pines, Pembroke Pines, Florida, Best Digital ArtistNamed Honorary

2019 Caregiver by Cleveland Clinic Florida
2016 Annual Telly Awards, Bronze Winner, “Strings”
2015 Broward County Cultural Division, Creative Investment Program Grant
2014 Dania Beach Arts & Seafood Celebration, Best Mixed Media Award
2013 Studio 18 in the Pines, Paradise Lost or Found Exhibition, Honorable Mention
2011 Broward County Cultural Division, Creative Capital Professional Development Program Grant Recipient
2010 Studio 18 in the Pines, Accepted by jury into resident studio program
2001 22nd Annual Telly Awards, Silver (multiple) Winner-Zimmerman Partners Advertising
1999 Photographer's Forum, Best of College Photography Annual Book Publication, Original Photograph Published
1999 Photographer’s Forum, Best of College Photography Competition, Finalist Award and Honorable Mention
1996 Ringling College of Art and Design, Best of Ringling Award
1995 Ringling College of Art and Design, Best of Ringling Award

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS AND SHOWS

2023 Praxis: Time Passing, Resident Artist Exhibition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

2022 Brighter Than Springtime, Group Exhibition, Weston Art Guild, Coral Springs Museum of Art, Coral Springs, FloridaWORK/STUDY, Resident Artist Exhibition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

14th Annual Juried Exhibition, Weston Art Guild, Regional Library, Weston, Florida

2021 Cheers to 11 Years, Past & Present Resident Artist Exhibition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida Guest Lecturer, Incorporating technology into traditional artistic practice, Weston Art Guild, Davie, Florida Welcome Home, an online exhibition, Group Show, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

2020 Kingdom Animalia, Featured Artist-animation, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

2019 Fall Exhibition and Holiday Sale, Studio 18 Pembroke Pines, Florida
Featured as first artist showcased at Coral Springs Family Health Center | Cleveland Clinic Florida
Inspirations, Group Exhibition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Broward Art Guild Invitational, Group Exhibition, Broward Art Guild, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Play: The Art of Toys, Group Exhibition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Spectrum: Palette of Possibilities, Group Exhibition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida
15th Annual Art Competition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

2018 Fall Exhibition and Holiday Sale, Featured Artist, Studio 8, Pembroke Pines, Florida
By The Numbers, Featured Artist, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

2017 Studio 18 Artists Show and Holiday Sale, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Art & Soul Fundraiser, Business For The Arts of Broward, GALLERYone DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Out of This World, Group Exhibition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida
13th Annual Pembroke Pines Art Competition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

2016 Happily Ever After, Projections Featured in Dance Stage Program, Hollywood Central Performing Arts, Hollywood, Florida
Art & Soul Fundraiser, Business For The Arts of Broward, GALLERYone DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Deep in the Dark Forest, Broward County Cultural Grant Project Featuring Animations Fused With Dance Performances by Body & Soul Dance Theatre
BAM! POW! ART!, ArtsBunker, Wilton Manors, Florida

2015 Fridge Art Fair, Satellite Fair during Art Basel, Miami Beach, Florida
Fall Exhibition, Featured Artists Show, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Metamorphosis, Featured Artists Show, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Elements, Featured Artist Show, Bailey Contemporary Arts Center, Downtown Pompano, Florida
Dance Through The Ages, Projections Featured in Dance Program, Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, Hollywood, Florida

2014 Red Eye, Projections Featured with bluapple Poetry Network, Artserve, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Psychosis, Projections Featured in Dance Program, Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, Hollywood, Florida
Heightened Senses, Featured Artists Show, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

2013 Red Eye Multimedia Event, Juried Show, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
On Common Ground, Featured Artists Show, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

2012 Red Eye Multimedia Event, Juried Show, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
8th Annual Pembroke Pines Art Competition, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Hooray For USA, Group Show, Glass Gallery, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Ribbons of Time, Featured Artists Show, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

2011 Island City Art Walk, Wilton Manors
“Something Sweet”, Juried Exhibition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida
“Glass Gallery Seventh Annual Art Competition”, Juried Exhibition, Glass Gallery, Pembroke Pines, Florida
“Equinox 2011”, Juried Exhibition, Rossetti Gallery, Pompano Beach, Florida
“Driven Art + Music Conference”, Juried Exhibition, Hard Rock Café, Hollywood, Florida

2010 “Real Built Brush Shoot”, Featured Artists Show, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Broward Art Guild 25th Anniversary Exhibition”, Juried Exhibition, Gallery Six, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
“Human Image & Portrait Exhibition”, Juried Exhibition, Rossetti Gallery, Pompano Beach, Florida
“Inaugural Show of Studio 18 Artists”, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, Florida

1996 “Best of Ringling”, Juried Exhibition, Selby Gallery, Sarasota, Florida

1995 Photography Exhibition, Elliot Gallery, Eckerd College, Saint Petersburg, Florida

PUBLICATIONS & PRESS

2016 Broward Cultural Quarterly: Artist As An Entrepreneur feature
City News Miramar/Pembroke Pines: Art Serve and Studio 18 Present “Deep in the Dark Forest”
Sun Sentinel Community Section, March 13, Artistic mysteries: Local galleries team up to expose artists to new audiences
Sun Sentinel Society Section, March 17 and 31, Business for the Arts of Broward “Art & Soul fundraiser”

2015 Sun Sentinel Community Section, October 4, Creative Showcase
Sun Sentinel Arts Section, October 4, All eyes on the dance floor
Arterpillar: The Art of Friday feature
“Ribbons of Time Captures Audiences”, Pembroke Pines Town Times

2011 Creative Capital Professional Development Program artist selection announcement and press release
“Ringling College’s Alumni Making Headlines”, Perspectives Magazine
Driven Music + Art 1st Annual Conference Catalog
“Carved wood, digital graphics among works at studio exhibit”, Sun-Sentinel
“REAL, BUILT BRUSH and SHOOT in Pembroke Pines”, Pines Miramar Town Times

2010 “REAL, BUILT BRUSH SHOOT”, OCTV Pembroke Pines television interview
"Meet the Artists of Studio 18”, Pembroke Pines official announcement and call
“Pembroke Pines hosts reception for Studio 18 art colony”, Sun-Sentinel

1999 Photographer’s Forum, Best of College Photography Annual, Publication

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