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​Artist Biography
I was born in Omaha, Nebraska and spent my childhood years moving about the Midwestern United States with my nuclear family.
In the early 1980's, I enrolled in Art School at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
After many stops and starts, I graduated with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1990, with emphasis in Ceramic, Metalsmithing and Drawing/Painting.
After my college years, I moved to Baltimore, MD where I found the rich culture of the Inner Harbor and colorful ethnic enclaves to be inspirational - with colorful fish markets, historic architecture and an eclectic alternative art scene. I quickly set up my studio in Mt. Vernon and entered the professional art world working as an illustrator, cartoonist and gallery oil painter.
​In 1998, I moved cross country to the Verde Valley of Northern Arizona. I was raising my children and working for a nonprofit when I found my way to the Old Jerome High School, in the copper-mining "ghost town" of Jerome, Arizona. Here, I rented an old science classroom on the top floor of Building A, with high ceilings and big windows which offer a panoramic view of Sedona and the Mongollon Rim. It is a spectacular view, especially during the summer monsoon season. The space is expansive in so many ways and has allowed me to experiment with alternative mediums and processes. My inspiration is found in the natural beauty and wildlife of this Valley, and the historical culture and artistic community
of this amazing little town. 

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Beth Courtright Detwiler creating a masking tape/mixed media installation entitled "When the Perfect comes..."

Old Jerome High School 

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The Old Jerome High School was built in 1926, for the children of Jerome, during the boom-town copper mining era.