Betsy Campen's Tropical Realism Art Gallery,  5012 Gallows Bay St. Croix, VI 00820  Tel: 340-719-2246

Somewhat of a child prodigy, at age 3, Betsy’s parents discovered her “artwork” on the blank pages of their encyclopedia, so a friend at the bank gave her used paper to draw on. At the age of 9, Betsy took an art class under a local portrait painter, Louise B. Dixon. She sold her first painting at age 12. In 1975 Betsy graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. In 1976, Betsy came to St. Croix for the first time and lived for four years before returning to Richmond until 1989.

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For the past several years, Campen has concentrated her artistic efforts on paintings of St. Croix’s well-known structures including Government House, the Frederiksted Apothecary, the waterfront in Christiansted and many others. “I can’t get enough of St. Croix,” she adds. And demonstrating her fine sense of humor as well as her artistic spirit, she has ‘captured in time’ scenes as diverse as her “View of WAPA” (from the fort) and the old “Baron Spot Bar”.
 

Her work could be classified as photo realism, and she works in oils and watercolor. Her paintings do not show brush strokes. Betsy works strictly from photography to gather information. Her heroes are the photo realists Jack Beale, Helen Frankenthaler, and Chuck Close.

 

Ms. Campen volunteers as an Art Teacher at St. Joseph’s High School where she hosts a Friday afternoon class attended by 21 young artists from the 9th to 12th grades. She says several of her students are exceptional artists and possible art college material.

Betsy Campen’s prints are collected by locals and visitors alike. Betsy says she is most proud when native Crucians living in the states choose her paintings of St. Croix to decorate their walls, whether it be their office or private homes. “To see St. Croix live on elsewhere through my artwork is quite an honor,” Betsy adds.

 

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All artwork on this site is property of Betsy Campen Galleries and /or Tom Yaegel & Associates, Inc© 2007

May not be used or reproduced without the express permission of the artist.

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