ARTISTIC EXPRESSION: Artist Aria Beckford uses art to express her emotions.

By ANGELIQUE BECKFORD

FAMU Intern, Special to South Florida Times

MIAMI – The various forms of human expression are almost infinite – and everyone does so differently depending on how they’re feeling at a given moment.

Rather than expressing one’s emotions with words, some choose to express themselves through various art forms, like 24-year-old Aria Beckford.

Beckford is an artist who basks in the freedom of expressing herself with a canvas and a paintbrush.

“My first pieces of work started with some sharpies and a piece of paper when i was in high school,” Beckford said.

Growing up she said she was considered “ridiculously emotional” because she was passionate about almost everything she was involved in.

“I’m a very empathic and emotional person, and because I feel things so intensely, it helps me create my art,” Beckford said.

Expressing herself verbally was always a challenge she said she’d rather not conquer so art was her element. Through painting she said she no longer felt misunderstood or misinterpreted.

“Being able to take how I’m feeling emotionally and put a picture and color to it is way more therapeutic than trying to express myself through words,” Beckford said.

She credits her matriculation at Florida A&M University (FAMU), where she minored in art, with helping her better perfect her craft. The art classes she took were quite challenging, she said, but they forced her to relay her emotions in a form which others could understand. During her undergraduate experience, she said she learned how to make others experience her feelings through her art.

“I don’t usually have a plan when I sketch. Most of the time I’m just in my feelings. Some of my work may not be aesthetically pleasing to everyone, but that’s also a part of art. Not everyone is going to understand your work,” Beckford said. “Sometimes you’re not even going to like your work, but it’s all about creative expression. Someone somewhere can relate to your art.”

Beckford admitted she was previously hesitant about displaying her art work, however, she gained confidence when her college art professor used her piece as an example to the class.

“I started doing a lot of my artwork for free and sharing it on Facebook. From there more people started requesting my work,” Beckford said.

She created a website for her canvas art called Bee’s Expressives, where people could buy her art work or request a canvas.

“This is not a chore, it’s something I thoroughly enjoy doing,” Beckford said, revealing she hopes to see her art on murals, walls in schools and in youth centers one day.

Her goal for her artwork is to inspire and she hopes that it resonates with every group of people, especially children.

“I was really into Lisa Frank as child. She had the vibrant artwork on pencils, backpacks and notebooks,” Beckford recalled.

She hopes one-day children will enjoy her artwork on their folders just as she enjoyed Lisa Frank’s.

To stay updated on Aria’s art, visit ariabeckford.wixsite.com/beeexpressive or follow her on Instagram at Ari_bee and Twitter at Ari_beeeeeee.