Alicia Sterling Beach

Los Angeles

“Making art has saved my sanity and my life, as it helps me recover my truest self. Past trauma kept me disassociated from my body, inner-child-self, identity, self-worth, and self-empowerment. The painfulness of that separation, without a creative outlet, leads to mental illness, addiction, and isolation, and an estrangement from Mother Earth. Art heals these afflictions, where consumerism exacerbates them. As a wasteful, consumer culture, it is imperative that we continue to support the arts and arts education, and art which enlightens. A Godly, artistic expression is sacred evidence of the faithful spirit rising above the trauma-inflicted, human condition. ”  

Alicia was born in Caracas, Venezuela and lived between the U.S. and Brazil, where her parents resided. An accident she experienced as a young child left her with movement issues. She has spent the majority of her adult life coping with chronic pain from degenerative chronic osteoporosis in addition to PTSD. As a result, she has also experienced housing insecurity. 

Alicia hopes to advocate for people who are living with homelessness and disabilities, some of which may appear “hidden” to an outside observer. She writes: “Ironically, I live with a disability that is degenerative, and I always have to stay active to avoid pain setting in. I appear highly functional, and my appearances in no way reflect the realities of my everyday quality of life. I’ve had to ignore the pain a lot, but sometimes it catches up with me emotionally.”

Alicia has always used art as a way toward enhancing meaning and beauty in her world. She uses materials such as watercolor, colored pencils, and soft pastels which offer a wide-ranging color palette enabling her to bring forth the delicacy of light. With drawing, abstraction and her symmetrical themes, she intends to create harmony and balance.

Alicia loves to laugh and bring joy to those around her through comedy. She enjoys spending time at the ocean, gardening, acting, singing and - when not in physical pain - dancing.

Alicia has earned a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA from the University of California, Irvine. She has exhibited extensively and dreams that one day her art will be in museum collections. She is thrilled to have her art for sale on ArtLifting and to share her work and story with a larger audience.