Portraits & Portals

Photo of smiling brown skinned man with waist length locs standing in front of a cream colored background with arms outstretched

“Creating a story with my painting brush as a weapon for voices that need to be seen and heard. I was partnered with J.R. and Lina, 2 kind and courageous individuals who survived the 2023 wildfires in Maui, Hawaiʻi.”

Fred Beam

The Process: From Lived Experiences to the Canvas

This captivating slideshow showcases the various stages of Fred’s artistic process.

More photos of Fred’s artistic process.

Fred with the inspiration for his work Lena

The Final Piece

Fred Beam's Final Artwork
Fred Beam’s Final Artwork

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    Praise for the Final Piece

    “it is almost an overwhelming piece because it is a reminder of so the multitude of issues that must be overcome by those who are deaf during a disaster. I am sure it is nothing compared to the overwhelming feeling that the person experiencing it must be experiencing.”

    “Oh all the hands, shadows. Urgency.”

    Biography

    Fred M. Beam, from Tampa, FL, has been a visual artist since he was a child. His work has been displayed at many art exhibitions nationwide. He strongly promotes and supports the theme of BlackDeaf Arts, not Black Deaf Arts.

    Fred is an advocate and patron of Black Deaf Artists. He has purchased and displayed some of the talents of Black Deaf Artists, who are underrepresented in the World of Arts. He is a Performing Artist, Actor, Poet, Director, Choreographer and has Danced in two international touring dance companies. He was the first deaf choreographer in DC to work in any theater production

    Among his many accomplishments, he is proud that he was one of Essence magazine’s Real Men of the Year and also Deaf Person of the Month in Deaf Life magazine. He also received a key to the city of Birmingham, Alabama for his outstanding work in the field of performing arts.