Isabella (Bee) Hersey

Neither of my parents grew up on Appalachian soil. Yet somehow, they were both drawn to West Virginia to further their education in the early 2000s. Fairmont is where they met, and Fairmont is where they stayed to raise me and I couldn’t imagine a better place to grow up. The vast mountainous land allows room to roam and explore as a young curious child, and is also a great reference for painting as a still curious teenager- growing adult. It is an incredibly beautiful state that has inspired many of my still-life works. Art and music is ingrained in a place like this, which is perfect for a creative soul searching for an artistic outlet.
Many mentors, who are also fellow creatives have helped me navigate my naturally artistic mind over the years. I attended my first art class at six years old, held at Fairmont State University. This was an incredibly influential period in my life. My teacher, Ms. Liz, gathered up my chaotic mind and its love of vibrant color, and had me focus on the fine arts. I was handed a paint brush and fell in love, with not only the result- but the process of creating art. This was the first time my works were displayed in a miniature art gallery, and the pride I felt in other people enjoying my hard work was addictive- like the sugar rush of a pixy stix.
From there I began creating pieces for Pop-culture conventions. Starting up my first business, “BHart”. Not the most imaginative name, but it was a start. With a name, logo, Crayola colored pencils, and a standard office printer- I was ready to go. I sold my colored pencil drawings of pop-culture figures for $0.50 a piece. With the money I earned I bought myself an Ipad and the program Procreate. From there I became invested in short-animations and digital cartoons. My little brand; BHart, began selling greeting and birthday cards.
At this point in my life I was an awkward middle schooler, switching from Public- to homeschooling. My ADHD made keeping up with tedious schoolwork a difficult task, and I began experiencing burnout. So, I stopped creating art for a while, and began to sort-of resent it. However, then my homeschool co-op added in weekly art classes with Eddie Spaghetti! I was thrown into the class with hopes of regaining my artistic mojo, and my mind- pretty much, self-imploded. Mr. Eddie’s way of creating art was far from the ordinary. He would mix magazines with acrylics and clay with fabrics, and his clothes were always covered in clay and paint. At first I sort-of loathed this class period; it was too different from what I was used to, but Eddie did not allow brooding in his art-room. So I just had to make do- and I began to enjoy art again. This class helped me
realize that: my work didn’t have to look beautiful all the time, I just had to have fun and be creative with it. Art is a piece of the mind that contorts itself; it has a way of influencing everyone who may see it; viewing it as something that they as well can relate to. This is what got me back into fine arts.
With my regained passion I decided to start up a brand-new artistic business venture my freshman year. However, this time with stickers; and at an actual arts and crafts store! Here, at Mountain Creative I began selling stickers with themes of Appalachian and West Virginia living. While also displaying a few local ‘charity stickers’ as well; where all of the revenue would go to that specific charity- or school on a few occasions. Sadly, Mountain Creative has closed down and with that so has my sticker shop. As of recently I have mainly been focusing on Art Commissions and gallery events.
Another major part of my life is celebrating my culture! My great-grandparents are both from Calabria, Italy. Growing up in West Virginia with Italian heritage is quite special; being able to grow up in a place that now celebrates such a culture. My family and I quickly became involved with the Italian Heritage Festival. I have been dancing with the festival dancers since the age of four- and I don’t plan on stopping. It’s a great way to celebrate my ancestors, culture, and admiration of art through movement. I would love to share this tradition of Italian dance and music at Wesleyan if that would be allowed! This festival has inspired many of my paintings. There is so much fluidity in Italian folk dance: the long flowing skirts with many layers of tulle, the red and green strips of cloth being flown around, and the ribbons attached to our tambourines swaying to the beat, like an extension of the dancer’s limb. All of this has influenced the way I view beauty, thus- influencing what I want my art to embody; the perfect blend of Appalachian appreciation and Italian grace.
As a young-woman it is my goal to form a safe space in the Appalachians to make art and share it with others. I strive to encourage others to continue creating and give fellow growing artists the push they need- like the gentle nudge I received in middle-school. In college I hope to study either pre-art therapy or art education- not focusing on any specific age-group. I would like to attend a college with a quality tight-knit community and a campus with rich historic roots. With the majors that I have chosen, it is my goal to become an owner of a local art shop. This is where I would sell my paintings and teach art-classes to beginners, or anyone looking to refresh or redefine their skills in the world of fine arts. The opportunity being given to me to attend West Virginia Wesleyan College is the first step toward my goal as a young artist desiring to bring beauty into our world.