Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandria Bevilacqua.
Hi Alexandria, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Imagination was always my influence. At the of age four, I witnessed my father design and built our house in Valley Center, CA. Walking amongst the cement and the bare beams, and then months later, we magically had our own house on a hill. At age five, seeing my godfather, Kurt, paint an oil painting that seemed to glow from within. At eight, we moved to Las Vegas: I saw magical shows like Starlight Express and Blue Man Group, the latter show of which I’d later be a part of! And then there were books: at a young age, I proclaimed I wanted to be an author and illustrator. One, at age 18, I ran away to Paris to make: a supernatural film about the second coming of Joan of Arc! We barely had a budget or a crew… just a vision. It was such a thrill for me. A love for the art of filmmaking was cemented!
As a painter, I used written stories, of course, as my inspirations for my first unique paintings. I would draw metaphors to my values in modern life through my paintings, and in doing so created my own style. I will be attending Otis College of Art and Design with a scholarship to get her Master’s in Fine Arts this Fall. I’m looking forward to concentrating primarily on my oil painting while also exploring the elements of installation, performance, interactive art and filmmaking. Bio: Alexandria Lee is a multi-disciplinary artist and painter who explores the concepts of Freedom, Nation, Information and Identity in modern-day America through the use of portraiture and symbolism.
She has exhibited her paintings in several galleries in Las Vegas and throughout the Los Angeles area such as the group show “Consumptive” at Garboushian Gallery in Beverly Hills with other esteemed artists such as David Lachapelle. In “Consumptive” her painting was used as the publicity image to promote the group show. Her artwork was described by the curator as such:
“Alexandria Lee’s evocative paintings give a poetic yet profound and shadowy voice to the inner life of a modern, urban human craving the living world.” – Shana Nys Dambrot, art critic, curator, author, and Arts Editor.
Awards include: First Place in the Contemporary Arts Collective’s Annual Juried Exhibition in 2009 for her painting “Concentration”, and runner-up for RAW Artists “Best Visual Artist in Los Angeles 2012”
Alexandria is also an installation artist, performing artist and actress. She has starred in tv, film, and theater: most notably as the first female character to perform with the Blue Man Group Show. Her installations and art performance have been premiered in galleries, theaters and in pop- up public art performances throughout Las Vegas.
Alexandria received her B.A. in Fine Arts with a concentration in painting from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2009. She is attending Otis College of Art and Design with a scholarship to get her Master’s in Fine Arts this Fall. She is inspired by all forms of expression and storytelling.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, and I am still on the road because really the destination IS the journey right? I think I had this vision that you put in the work and then you will continually build on your successes, but I found time and again that I would achieve great success and then eventually find myself at what felt like starting at zero again. So the main thing for me has been letting my heart and passion be the driving force to continue, otherwise it is really hard to find motivation after that. Only over a long length of time would I see that I was building… but in the midst of highs and lows in an artistic career =, it can be very hard to see that.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am beyond excited to attend Otis and get my Master in Fine Arts starting this Fall. I specialize in oil painting, but have also dabbled in art performance and art installations and I can’t wait to somehow combine all three while attending Otis. I have worked as an actor and filmmaker for so long as well, so I think that influences my paintings and I’m able to explore more mediums because of this. I’m definitely multi-disciplinary. Recently I have made the choice to focus full-time on fine arts and mostly leave film and acting as a career behind, but I’m excited to see how I can use these talents in the Fine Arts arena. I’m known for exploring people and their psychology and focusing on ideas of freedom in a social and personal context. Reflecting on what it is to be living in this Technology and Information Age in America. I’m proud of every opportunity I have had to showcase my expression to a larger audience, such as performing in Blue Man Group, showing in galleries such as Garboushian Gallery in Beverly Hills, and looking to the future, whatever may come from working on my Master’s at Otis. I’ve been teaching art more in the past few years, and I’ve found that to be rewarding as well; motivating others and helping others is something I’d like to be known for alongside my artwork and however I can intertwine the two is what I aim to do.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Taking a risk is the only reason I have ever achieved anything great in my life. This realization is what makes me want to be worthy of calling myself a risk taker….but I don’t think I have taken enough risks for that title. But yeah, stepping outside of my comfort zone and challenging myself to be vulnerable has been so important for me…. it is the way to achieve personal growth, closeness in relationships, and artistic achievement and fulfillment. Being scared doesn’t always mean you should run away.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.worksbyalexandria.net
- Instagram: @alexandrialee22
Image Credits
Photos of me are taken by Ashley St. George @saintkphotography
