Bev Bates

My husband and I have lived in Hoover, AL, for almost 35 years. After 30 years of working in advertising, public relations, and sales, I retired and started oil painting. That was eight years ago. In 2010, we built our home in Mentone and now spend half of every month on the mountain.

Raised in Mississippi, I have fond memories of the rural South—barns, an old country church my great granddaddy helped build, climbing apple trees in my papa’s orchard, picking watermelons, and being part of a large family. I am drawn to those familiar scenes but enjoy painting a variety of subject matter in the representational style.

Recently embarking on Plein air painting, I hope to continue growing and experiencing the benefits of outdoor painting, like learning to see details and nuances of color, plus achieving looser brush strokes.

I have enjoyed studying under several well-known Birmingham-area artists, including David Nichols, Melanie Morris, Carol Carmichael, Craig Reynolds, Beth Bradley, Amy Collins, and Terry Strickland.

I am a member of the Mountain Brook Art Association, the Little River Arts Council, and the Alabama Plein Air Painters Association. I was honored to receive Best in Show for an Emerging Artist at the 2022 Mountain Brook Art Association spring art show.