Statement

Bette Ann Libby has been a painter and mosaic & ceramic artist for 50 years. She has made art from upcycled materials using ceramic shards, returned house paint samples and banners and has created many community mosaic murals. She founded “Studios Without Walls”, celebrating its 25th year at Riverway Park in Brookline. Bette Ann is passionate about bringing art to communities and providing stipends for artists through grants and fundraising.

In 1970, Bette Ann’s artistic life started as a graphic designer. In 1972, she moved to American Samoa as their first high school art teacher and began making pottery. After moving back to the US and Vermont, she spent 35 years as a studio potter and ceramic sculptor.

During these years, painting was her art medium while traveling. Her functional work moved on to ceramic sculpture in 1986. Many of these works revolved around strong women, home and narratives. When she transitioned to ceramic shard mosaics, she continued to create her own “mythology” using personal as well as universal images.

Bette Ann maintains a balance between studio and public art. She is passionate about bringing artists together and having art bring the community together.

Her community mosaic murals have been permanently installed in schools, libraries, hospitals and synagogues and are created with varying sizes of groups, with up to 750 individuals working on a single project. Ceramic shard mosaics make what was once broken into a new whole.

As founder of “Studios Without Walls”, site specific sculpture created by over 100 artists over the past 25 years, we have brought free and accessible art to thousands of visitors. Studios Without Walls has won numerous grants which support artists with honorariums for their installations in Brookline and other satellite venues in the greater Boston area.

Since Covid, She has resumed painting with upcycling banners using returned house paint samples. The series is called “Hello Earth” and celebrates the beauty of the planet.