August 10 – 30, 2019
Reception and Memorial on Sunday, August 18, 2-4pm
Irving Art Association Gallery
Jaycee Park Center for the Arts, 1975 Puritan Dr., Irving TX 75061
The Irving Art Association is proud to honor the memory of former IAA President Beverly Fuqua (Koehler) with an exhibit of over 50 works of her art in the East Gallery.
Several paintings will be part of a silent auction at the Reception, with proceeds going to Beverly’s favorite causes. You may also honor the memory of Beverly Fuqua with a donation through PayPal benefiting Irving Art Association’s 2019 Animal Art Awards Show — see the Memorial Award listing on the right sidebar of the IAA website.
Beverly Fuqua
1953 – 2019
Former Irving Art Association President
2007 – 2010
Beverly died May 18th at 10:28 am at her home in Irving with her husband George Koehler at her side. She will rest peacefully in Oklahoma near her parents.
Born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease), Beverly was physically disabled since 1998, and confined to a wheelchair. She was an inspiration to many, with her determined attitude and compassionate heart. Her physical disabilities didn’t stop her from a life of service and exercising her creative spirit.
An Oklahoma native, Beverly obtained a bachelor of arts degree with a commercial art major with a double minor in psychology and sociology from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. She had a life long passion for creating and teaching art. She once said she hoped to continue creating and teaching art until she can no longer hold a pencil, pastel or brush.
In the 1980’s she had her own graphic design business and exhibited throughout the Dallas area and nationally until her health declined in 1993. When she became wheelchair bound, she changed to using colored pencil from oils and focused on what she loved to do best, animal art.
Ms. Fuqua’s artwork was selected by the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities for the National Disability Employment Awareness Month in 2012.
She served on the Irving Advisory Committee on Disabilities and was honored a High Spirited Citizen Award in 2009 by Irving, Texas Mayor Gears. In 2010 the Mayor presented a Special Recognition Certificate to Beverly Fuqua and her service dog Otis.
For three years Beverly served as Irving Art Association’s President from June, 2007 through May, 2010. Altogether, she had a total of eleven years of service on the IAA Board, including treasurer for eight years.
She generously shared her art skills with others and taught a series of drawing workshops through at IAA’s gallery. She showed her compassionate side with free art workshops for those with physical and mental challenges in her ACAR program (Art for Children and Adults at Risk.)
An animal lover, she favored them as subjects and created numerous pet portraits for commissions. She was skilled in acrylics, oils, colored pencil, and more, and won many awards in IAA art competitions. She also chronicled her special relationship with her beloved service dog Otis in her art. Her art is on view at https://beverly-fuqua.pixels.com/ and https://fineartamerica.com/artists/beverly+fuqua.
She is best known in IAA for her leadership in promoting the art competitions in honor of animal art — the Wildlife Juried Art Exhibition and the Unconditional Love: Pet Fine Art Juried Exhibition (the second is her creation). She also promoted the welfare of animals with art auctions associated with the Pet Art Show, with art donated by participating artists.
The two animal art shows have continued on as the annual IAA Animal Art Awards Exhibition and this is the 18th year for this event. IAA plans provide a Memorial Award this year in her honor for the show, to be held September 1st-22nd, following this exhibit.
