Observation Stories: The Wild Years

The Ormond Memorial Art Museum is hosting a retrospective exhibition that chronicles 40 years of work by renowed Florida artist Beau Wild. Featuring 82 works of art from various phases of her career, Observation Stories: The Wild Years, showcases her remarkable talent, vision, and versatility through her paintings, sculptures, assemblages, and video. This one-of-a-kind exhibit is curated by Fran Gardner, distinguished professor emerita of art and art history at the University of South Carolina Lancaster.

Wild studied occupational therapy at Tufts University and painting at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, both in Boston. She worked as a therapist and a painter for decades, finding inspiration in both fields. She returned to her childhood hometown of Daytona Beach in 1983 after 22 years in New England. Since then, she has shown work in art festivals, competitions, and museums both nationally and internationally. In 2015, she was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award during a competition in Cincinnati, Ohio. Today, Wild paints daily in her studio on Rose Bay in Port Orange. 

Held in private and public collections around the world, Wild's paintings are inspired by her personal experiences, emotions, and observations. She uses color, shape, texture, and movement to create compositions. She paints both realistic and abstract portraits and figures that capture the essence and personality of her subjects. She also explores themes such as identity, spirituality, nature, and social issues. Her paintings are often described as bold, dynamic, and expressive.