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closeNature inspires young artist
Kopachuck Middle School student paints local wildlife
Nate Hulings
of the Gateway
Tova Beck’s talent is apparent from the moment you see her work. One look at her artistry and it’s easy to understand why it’s been commissioned or used to adorn greeting cards.
Beck, a sixth-grader at Kopachuck Middle School, specializes in watercolor paintings of nature, especially local flora and fauna. Her inspiration often comes during walks through the woods.
If Beck sees something of interest, she’ll snap a photo and return to her home to create another dynamic piece of art.
“I like to draw them in their natural habitat,” she said. “If it lives around here, I draw the bird out in nature.”
Often, she doesn’t even have to leave her own home for inspiration. Beck has a love for animals and has kept chickens, wild quail and homing pigeons as pets.
“They are all really fun to raise, especially quail,” she said.
On one occasion, a small bird still the size of a worm and blind, fell out of its nest. Beck fed it wet dog food and watched it grow into a fledgling.
“I’d sing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,’ and it could come to me,” she said.
Beck self-taught herself how to paint and began her journey at age six.
One room in the Beck house is dedicated to her creative energy. The walls are adorned with brilliant watercolor paintings of lambs, squirrels and birds — some of which have detailed stories — while others came from general interest. A large table provides an easel for her work.
Beck has been commissioned to paint the front and back covers for an upcoming international educational conference, and she also sells her art at several local stores and at holiday bazaars. Her drawings can be found in Tacoma’s Snake Lake Center color book, and she’s also won the Tahoma Audubon Society bird-drawing contest the past two years.
The money she does make from her talent goes toward paying for the cards and also into a savings account to purchase a new chicken coop.
But Beck isn’t selfish with her talent; she shares it with fellow students by teaching her trait at local schools and stores.
Her mother, Mimmi Beck, said that’s one of her most intriguing aspects.
“I think it’s really neat that she likes to teach,” Mimmi said.
Tova has taught multiple times at Voyager Elementary, and she shows the patience that’s required to teach beginners, Mimmi said.
“She goes very, very slowly,” Mimmi said.
For now, Beck considers her painting only a hobby. When she grows up, she hopes to combine her passions of animals and art into a profession.
“I want to raise birds and paint,” Tova said.