Biography-
The oldest of two blond boys born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Drew Beson is the progeny of a motivational speaker and a money-squirreling CFO. At nine years old, showing incredible promise, Drew was offered a scholarship to study painting and drawing at a renowned Atelier Program in Excelsior, Minnesota. His childhood years to follow were filled with travel to amazing destinations—deep sea fishing in Alaska, splashing on the beach in Hawaii, surfing in Australia and safaris in South Africa.
Yearning for academia, Drew studied studio art at St. Olaf College. He took advantage of the state-of-the-art space of the Dittmann Center and studied under the tutelage of Ron Gallas, Irve Dell, Wendell Arneson and John Saurer. During this time, Drew continued his travels and seized the opportunity to study art in New York. He interviewed 25 artists, and visited over 100 galleries and museums during his time there. Drew also studied art in Florence, Cortona, Siena, and Lucca, Italy as well as London, England.
After graduation and a brief retreat to the Northwoods, Drew began working independently on his art at his studio space in Edina, Minnesota. In June of 2008, Drew spent 104 consecutive hours living and painting in a 9′ x 31′ glass room in the Minneapolis Skyway. He called it a “Live INstalation.” He entered at 9 am on a Monday morning and emerged at 5 pm on Friday evening. The news called it “live art to the extreme,” but Drew considered it an exercise in focus. “With 30,000 people a day walking by you and your work, the feedback is instantaneous,” says Beson.
This was not Drew’s first public art performance. He has also performed live on stage with musicians like The Invincible Kids and Mix-Master-Mike from the Beastie Boys. This type of behavior was ridiculous enough for Drew to be recognized as “The Best Party Addition in Minneapolis” by Minnesota Monthly Magazine. In addition to his art, Drew has also been recognized for his philanthropic pursuits, such as his contributions to nonprofits, including the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, Free Arts Minnesota, One Heartland, Minnesota Life College, Smile Network and The Sanneh Foundation.
In the last ten years of being a professional artist, Drew Beson has appeared in numerous publications. His work is in private collections all over the world and he has had exhibitions at many galleries and museums including: The Minneapolis Institute of Art, Hennes Art Company, Gallery 13, Milward Farrell Fine Art in Madison, WI, and 3rd Street Gallery in Grand Forks, ND. Drew has had solo exhibitions at the Kirkland Gallery, HangIt Gallery, Gallery 122, The Women’s Club of Minneapolis, and Sotheby’s International Realty in Minneapolis, Galleria Edina, Gallery One at BMW of Minnetonka and The Minneapolis Club. In December of 2014, Drew exhibited 15 paintings alongside the absolute elite of the fine art world at Spectrum Miami, to rave reviews.
Enormous abstract paintings filled with vibrant colors and bold movement typify Drew Beson’s work. If it is too big to pick up, he feels he has succeeded. Many pieces are acrylic on panel, and look almost “juicy,” after receiving a final layer of hand poured resin. The consistency of honey when applied, the resin is blowtorched before curing to a glass like finish.
Drew loves to connect with new collectors, and built a tremendous following from 2012-2014 at his own 4,800 square foot gallery in the downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota skyway. Since moving from there in the summer of 2015, Drew’s work has gone to the next level as he has been able to create every day, in a new 4,300 square foot studio space in Edina, Minnesota. You can find Drew’s work all over the internet and in several interior design showrooms. Drew also welcomes you, by appointment at his new studio.
