Artist Beth Whitehead likes contemporary abstract art , which uses shapes , colors and forms to achieve her vision . These paintings by Whitehead are available at Hallie Ward Interiors , located in downtown Meridian .
come up with , you know . It just is a way to express myself … and it brings me joy .”
Whitehead grew up in Carrollton , Georgia , a city in the western part of the state near the Alabama line . After high school , she attended Furman University in Greenville , South Carolina , earning a bachelor ’ s degree in biology . She then earned her degree in physical therapy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham .
While working at a clinical in Memphis , Tennessee , she met her future husband , Dr . Kary Whitehead , who later moved to Meridian to practice medicine . They dated long distance for a while before marrying , with Whitehead moving to Meridian about 30 years ago . Dr . Whitehead is now a board certified sleep medicine physician with Meridian Sleep Services .
She worked briefly in physical therapy in Meridian until her three children — Will , Walker and Mary Claire — came along , and she quit work to stay home with them .
About seven or eight years ago , with her children all grown up , she began to find more time on her hands . So , it came as a little surprise when she picked up painting , having had no official experience or instruction in the arts .
While growing up , Whitehead said she had been one of those kids who always liked science and math and never was one
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to walk around with a paint brush in her hand . “ I mean I doodled and did craft kinds of things , but I really didn ’ t paint or do anything ,” she said . When she began , her artwork was mostly for herself .
“ I really , more than anything , needed to fill up some walls in my house , and I was looking at art ,” she said . “ I mean , I ' ve always loved art and loved pretty things , but I just didn ' t think I could do it . But as I started looking around , I became convinced that , ‘ oh , I could do this .’ So , I went and bought some canvases , paint , all that . Honestly , the first few ones that I painted were terrible so I had to figure out what I was doing . I just kept dabbling in it , doing it over and over , looking online and trying things , trying different things , until I felt good about it .”
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020 , and Whitehead made the most of her days spent staying at home .
“ The month before COVID hit , I found an online , more intensive art class that I could take because I knew I had to learn the nuts and bolts of paintings , I knew I needed some kind of foundation ,” Whitehead said .
She said the class started in February and involved a lot of video instruction . Being stuck at home through the pandemic gave her lots of time to fully watch the videos and absorb the information . “ Because of the pandemic , I had way more time on my hands ,
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