About.

Bev Yokley is a visual artist – more specifically, an enamelist – who specializes in animal portraiture. Her work takes the form of “miniature painted enamels”—a technique originally begun in the 1500s. With nearly four decades of experience working with clients, Bev’s desire is to channel a beautifully crafted, tangible,and personal connection with an individual animal through a piece of her enamel work.

Throughout her extensive career, Bev chose a direct approach to learning about specific breed standards by attending premier dog, horse, and livestock events. At those events she could physically touch the animals and mine detailed knowledge directly from some of the best exhibitors and breeders in the world.

Animals mark chapters in our lives and, even after passing, they remain relevant parts of who we are. Capturing that bond is at the heart of Bev’s work. She has completed commissions of some of the top show animals across the globe, as well as of damaged rescues that are loved every bit as much by their “forever” families.

A native of northeast Tennessee, Bev received her formal art training at East Tennessee State University (BFA) and Virginia Commonwealth University (MFA), and is a member of The Enamelist Society. She resides on her pre-Civil War era farm tucked away in the hills of Piney Flats, Tennessee, where she works in her enameling studio. To counterbalance the intense hours of focus working in miniature, often using enhanced magnification, Bev goes “large” by enjoying her animals, garden, and orchard of heirloom apples.

 

The enameling studio

Copyright  Bev Yokley. All rights reserved.