Beth Dary holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University, a Master of Fine Arts from Memphis College of Art American, and is currently a member of the American Abstract Artists Organization. Her work has been exhibited in galleries, arts institutions, and museums nationally and internationally. She has received grants from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Manhattan Community Arts Fund, and has been commissioned by The Battery Park City Authority in Manhattan to create a public art installation for the Rockefeller Park’s Lily Pond. Dary has also received numerous fellowships, residencies and awards including through Yaddo, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and the Two Trees Cultural Space Subsidy Program in Brooklyn, NY. Her work is included in private, corporate and museum collections in the USA and Europe. 

Artist Statement:

Time Passing, a series of wall-mount, blown glass and steel wire sculptures included in Garvey|Simon’s, “Select East” are inspired by the natural world with a focus on the elemental powers of air and water.  Bubbles of ancient CO2 captured in Arctic ice; rising tides due to the climate crisis -- these phenomena represent nature in transition due to our culture's impact on the environment.  The dynamic interaction between water, land and human activities resonates with me as I have always lived at the water's edge, from my childhood on Cape Cod to adult life in New Orleans and New York City.   I’ve been exploring these hand-blown glass forms since 2008, starting with Equilibrium, a site-specific installation of floating sculptures installed in an outdoor lily pond in the Financial District of New York City. The sculptures themselves reflected the flora and fauna of the lily pond, the highly urban landscape, and passersby with the intention of adding a sense of curiosity about the environment for visitors to the park.

For Caged, (also included in the SE) I began combining woven wire following the edges of the glass to both separate and protect the space within. This body of work was created in part as a response to the caging of children on the US southern border as well as a reflection upon the simultaneous fragility and strength of the natural world and the metaphorical bubble we all live in.