Mid 20th Century "Wailing Wall" Jerusalem Figurative Scene Oil Painting by Bea Haverbusch

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Original painting by Bea Haverbusch. Heavy layered textured oil painting on canvas measuring 24 x 36 inches. Excellent condition. Signed … Read more Original painting by Bea Haverbusch. Heavy layered textured oil painting on canvas measuring 24 x 36 inches. Excellent condition. Signed lower right. Unframed. Titled verso in pen on stretcher.

In her lifetime, BeA Haverbusch created more than 300 paintings, moving from hobbyist and casual amusement to become a serious practitioner of art. A new exhibit, ''Artistic Salvation: Lifework of BeA Haverbusch,'' displayed at two local galleries, chronicles how her work and her life were changed by her struggle with breast cancer.

For the record, she really used the name ''BeA'' for reasons that her brother Ed Rubin explained. ''When BeA was little, her older sister Gert could not pronounce Beatrice,'' he said. ''She would say BeA (pronounced bee-AY) instead. The name stuck. Later in life my sister used that name, spelling it with a capital A, to sign her paintings.''

Sarah Bracey White, curator and executive director of cultural affairs for the Town of Greenburgh, said that Ms. Haverbusch's art showed how raw talent, if given the opportunity to develop, can lead to a life of fulfillment.

''This made perfect sense for her to be showing her art here for Women's History Month'' Ms. White said. ''Being born in 1919, her generation of women were rarely given the chance to cultivate their talent. I found it ironic that she married and did not have children, as so many women of her generation did.''

Her husband's death in 1963 forced Ms. Haverbusch to fall back on her own interests. Referring to the death of Mr. Haverbusch, Ms. White went on to say, ''BeA was cursed, but she was free.

''She was given the chance to grow as an individual,'' she continued. ''If she was left with five children, then she would not have had the energy or the time to create art. Her art became her legacy.''

Mr. Rubin, Ms. Haverbusch's brother and caretaker of the collection, considered the question of whether there was a noticeable difference in the paintings, once Ms. Haverbusch was told she had breast cancer. She died in 1994.

''The only thing that I can think of is when she became ill, she simply painted more,'' he said. ''Even when she was in the hospital, she did drawings. She painted and drew until the day she died.

''You have to understand, my sister was a naïve person in a way. She never believed she was terminally ill. I tried to encourage her, as did the rest of the family, by telling her she was a great artist. We purposefully never used the word cancer so that she would always remain optimistic about her prognosis. One day, one of her doctors told her that she would soon die, even though I made it clear to him to please, never tell her she has cancer. A day or two after hearing of the severity of her illness, BeA died of cardiac arrest.''

Asked what inspired his sister, Mr. Rubin said: ''Everything. She used things like ceramic figurines and enameled coffee pots from her home, and mementos and postcards I sent her from my travels as reference models. You would walk into her studio, and you would see everything from her life in her paintings.''

Ms. Haverbusch was a prolific painter. ''My sister worked on 10 to 15 paintings at one time, for eight to nine hours each day. She was never at a loss when it came to subject matter. She even painted the inside walls of her house. She painted a faux brick pattern in her living room, and murals in her bathroom and kitchen.''

When looking at Ms. Haverbusch's paintings, one can't help thinking that she may have been influenced by Vincent van Gogh. She paints flowers, especially sunflowers; she applies her paint thick; and she signs her paintings using her first name only, as did van Gogh.

But the most important influence on her work, Mr. Rubin said, was her sister-in-law, Pilar Rubin.

''Pilar's portrait paintings are quite famous in Mexico,'' he said. ''In fact, both Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter had Pilar's paintings in their White House collections. The single most important piece of advice that BeA ever got was from Ms. Rubin, which was to always paint the way you feel.'' See less