Beverly Tharp is a photographer and writer who grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. By the time she was 20 years old she had lived four years in Paris, studying art. After college, she lived in Kona before it had stop lights. She owned two stores selling swimwear from all over the world. The best part of the day was creating displays for which she won awards. But each day gazing out the window at the turquoise ocean across the street, she dreamed of escape. One day she flew to San Francisco to study painting and poetry. She married a musician and learned photography. At last she was saved.

“When I was living in Kona the daughter of my French family came to visit. A Beaux Arts graduate, she painted water colors while I was at work. One was of the lava wall on the beach in front of the shack where I lived. The dark lava was not just black, it slid from umber into purple with a small dot of orange. When I saw that lying on a shelf I was stunned. There was what was important in life. I vowed to pursue it.”

Water, leaves and color are my obsessions, but people inspire me. B.A., French, San Francisco State College Painting and Drawing, SFSU, studied with Richard McLean, Mark Johnson, Leigh Hyams and Robert Bechtle. Creative writing, studied with Thanassis Maskaleris and Frances Mayes. Photography programs at UC Extension and City College of San Francisco. Photographer in residence at San Francisco School of the Arts, two years. Editorial Photographer since 1987 for the Noe Valley Voice. Freelance photographer. Exhibits during the 1990s at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Noe Valley Ministry, KQED and other venues. Open Studios 2001, 2004. Juried show of the Celebration of Craftswomen 2004. Inclusions Galley, 2014. 2011. 2010. Gray Loft Gallery 2015. Far Out Gallery 2016.