June 29, 2007

LOCAL FEATURE Creative Outbursts Eve McBride turns ‘manic moments’ into colorful scenes of women on the beach Sheri Elfman, Express Gay News, Friday, June 29, 2007 Hollywood resident Eve McBride gets bursts of energy that she can only release by creating art. “I paint for two months straight and then not at all,” she says. “Some artists are consistent with their work. I live on black coffee and dark chocolate and paint until I collapse.” The artists’ most recent “manic episode” resulted in five paintings that she will display at Stonewall Library in July for ArtsUnited’s Artist of the Month show. McBride, who specializes in acrylic on canvas, also does digital photography. She has been a member of ArtsUnited, the gay and lesbian arts organization, for a year. She recently displayed her work during the “United & Proud” exhibit this past month. McBride says that she tends to do mostly beachy scenes of women in bathing suits. “I am a beach bum by nature,” she says. “My idea of ecstasy and orgasm is looking out over the water.” McBride, whose personal motto is “Everyday is fabulous,” says that her romantic life has always inspired her work. “The women who have come into and out of my life,” she says, “God bless them all.” She jokes that every time she has to create more pieces, she looks to start a relationship. McBride says that she finds everything around her to be inspiring. “Life stimulates me,” she says. “Love, heartache and my children.” McBride has dabbled in art her whole life. The native Floridian participated in her first art show at the tender age of 9. “I did pastels,” she says. “That was my first medium.” Her first work, a Madonna and Child piece, won third place. As she got older, she chose to put her artwork on hold while she raised a family. McBride returned to school in 1997. She attended the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, where she earned a degree in graphic design. McBride says that her goal is to own her own shop, where she can sell her paintings, photographs and painted wood tables. McBride’s exhibit will also feature her photography. She will exhibit 14 photos at her art show. She uses a Lumix camera and a Nikon B80. She used to use a Fuji, but recently gave it to her son to use. “I always had my Fuji in my hand,” she says. McBride has done photography since she was 8 years old. That hobby inspired her to paint. “I take a million pictures,” she says. “My photography stimulates my paintings.” The bright colors of Florida are definitely evident in her paintings. The five paintings in her exhibit feature lush, vivid colors. One of the paintings that she is exhibiting is called “My Gal Pals.” It is a tribute to her closest friends. McBride has a lot of fun with her paintings and photography. Among her more unusual pieces is a photograph of plastic flamingoes. “I took plastic flamingoes to the beach and posed them,” she says. “It drew quite a crowd.”