Self-portrait in San Sebastian
Kelly Luscombe Bea paints in oil and acrylic on canvas and wood in a narrative and visionary style. She employs portraiture, figuration and objects to tell stories about life, giving privy to psychological states and dreamlike, surrealistic worlds. She is inspired by dreams, ironic and odd moments of life, and her extensive travels to Spain and beyond.
In addition to painting and exhibiting her own art, Luscombe Bea founded and ran a gallery in San Francisco's Mission district in from 1997 to 2001. There she exhibited emerging, cutting edge to established artists at Gallery Luscombe on 24th St. She closed the gallery in 2001 in San Francisco and moved to Ojai to concentrate on her own work and to teach in an idyllic setting. Since that time, she has had numerous one woman shows and has hosted etreats at the Ananda Verandah (aka Blue Verandah).
In 2012, she was drawn back to gallery life when she, Eilam Byle and Sooz Glazebrook shared a gallery space on El Roblar Ave. in the Ojai Meiners Oaks district. Luscombe Bea perceived that an art space was vitally needed to showcase artists in Ojai and to stimulate the artistic community by hosting exhibitions for national and international artists. This space evolved into Gallery 525 and after a thrilling five years of hosting artists, spoken word luminaries, not to mention musical and other cultural events, she along with co-Gallerist Sooz Glazebrook, closed the gallery in 2017.
After beginning college in Anthropology and Dance, her studies continued at the San Francisco Academy of Art College and University of London in Art and Design, leading to a B.A. with Honors in Art, Painting Emphasis, from San Francisco State University in 1986.
Luscombe Bea's artworks have been exhibited nationally and internationally in solo and group shows. In addition to publishing her illustrations with Simon and Shuster for The Art of The Table, written by her mother Suzanne von Drachenfels, she has lectured and demonstrated art techniques at major museums, including the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum and Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco, and has conducted television interviews in the Bay Area regarding her work. Luscombe Bea taught art at the San Francisco Day School and in the San Francisco public school system with the aid of grants, and has taught art as far away as Andra Pradesh, India. She continues with teaching and workshops at the Blue Verandah/Ananda Verandah, located at her Ojai East End 1889 victorian studio.
In addition to painting and exhibiting her own art, Luscombe Bea founded and ran a gallery in San Francisco's Mission district in from 1997 to 2001. There she exhibited emerging, cutting edge to established artists at Gallery Luscombe on 24th St. She closed the gallery in 2001 in San Francisco and moved to Ojai to concentrate on her own work and to teach in an idyllic setting. Since that time, she has had numerous one woman shows and has hosted etreats at the Ananda Verandah (aka Blue Verandah).
In 2012, she was drawn back to gallery life when she, Eilam Byle and Sooz Glazebrook shared a gallery space on El Roblar Ave. in the Ojai Meiners Oaks district. Luscombe Bea perceived that an art space was vitally needed to showcase artists in Ojai and to stimulate the artistic community by hosting exhibitions for national and international artists. This space evolved into Gallery 525 and after a thrilling five years of hosting artists, spoken word luminaries, not to mention musical and other cultural events, she along with co-Gallerist Sooz Glazebrook, closed the gallery in 2017.
After beginning college in Anthropology and Dance, her studies continued at the San Francisco Academy of Art College and University of London in Art and Design, leading to a B.A. with Honors in Art, Painting Emphasis, from San Francisco State University in 1986.
Luscombe Bea's artworks have been exhibited nationally and internationally in solo and group shows. In addition to publishing her illustrations with Simon and Shuster for The Art of The Table, written by her mother Suzanne von Drachenfels, she has lectured and demonstrated art techniques at major museums, including the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum and Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco, and has conducted television interviews in the Bay Area regarding her work. Luscombe Bea taught art at the San Francisco Day School and in the San Francisco public school system with the aid of grants, and has taught art as far away as Andra Pradesh, India. She continues with teaching and workshops at the Blue Verandah/Ananda Verandah, located at her Ojai East End 1889 victorian studio.