Mary Todd Beam has been teaching art for 35 years and has conducted workshops all over the world, but says Union is still a nice place to hold a workshop.

“I’ve been to Union once before and fell in love with the area and the people,” she said. “I’ve been so impressed with the art in the South. Even in the small towns there is such an appreciation for what the arts can contribute to society. I love the town flavor in Union and feel right away the hospitality of the people there.”

Though she has conducted workshops from Africa to Mexico, this year Mrs. Beam will teach only five because she wants to spend more time writing and painting. She will be the instructor for the workshop hosted by the Union County Arts Council Sept. 14-18 at the Art Center on 116 East Main St.

“I’ll conduct an experimental workshop where the students are introduced to possibly new products that will help to get in touch with their expressive qualities,” Mrs. Beam said. “We strive for a painterly approach. The workshop will focus on design, use of color, always going inward for symbols as a means of expression and many other means of artistic communications.”

Mrs. Beam said she hopes the workshop fills with eager students.

“I can assure them we’ll have a great time learning about the enrichment our lives obtain from painting,” she said.

F&W Media recently released her second book, “The Creative Edge.” It is available at McCall’s Frame Shop in Union, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. Mrs. Beam said she will be available to autograph her books while she is in Union.

Mrs. Beam will remain in Union to jury the Union County Arts Council Juried Art Exhibit. The opening reception is on Sept. 20 in USC-Union’s Main Building and lobby.

Mrs. Beam, who has juried the show before, said Union has a spectacular amount of talent and it was a hard choice to select the winners.

“It was difficult making my decision with so many to choose from,” she said. “I’m eagerly looking forward to spending the week and visiting with my friends and new friends there.”

Mrs. Beam is a two-time American Water Media Society Gold Medal of Honor winner and the author of two books, “Celebrate Your Creative Self- More Than 25 Exercises to Unleash the Artist Within” and “The Creative Edge-Exercises to Celebrate Your Creative Edge.” A third publication is scheduled for this year. She also has a new video, “An Acrylic Journey; From Trash to Treasure,” produced by Creative Catalyst.

Paintings by Bill McCall, a Union artist and frame shop and gallery owner, are featured in both books. In “The Creative Edge,” McCall’s painting “Cold Mountain” is featured in the chapter “Sparkling Ice,” which McCall wrote. It details how to capture ice in painting.

Mrs. Beam has been the juror for state, local and national exhibits such as the NWS’s annual and Rocky Mountain Annual Exhibit. Her work has been chosen for inclusion in several major exhibits, including the National Academy of Design’s Biennial in New York City. She has won awards from many major exhibits.

Several books on painting include her paintings and written text, including Maxine Masterfield’s “Painting the Spirit of Nature,” Nita Leland’s “The Creative Artist,” Michael Ward’s “The New Spirit of Painting,” and Greg Albert’s “Splash.”

She also was a featured artist in American Artist’s Watercolor ‘90.” and Marilyn Phillis’ recent book, “Techniques for Releasing the Creative Spirit.” Her work appears in collections both in the United States and abroad.

A wife, mother, painter and teacher, she maintains two studios, one in Ohio and the other in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. She spends most of her time exploring nature as the basis of her interpretive painting and cherishing the hours she spends with the mountains, streams and forests. Since retiring, her husband, Dan, accompanies her on many of the workshops.

The workshop costs $450. A $200 eposit is due at registration. Registration ends July 1. Anyone wanting a registration form may call the arts council at 429-2817.