DESMOND BEACH IS A WASHINGTON, DC BASED ARTIST AND EDUCATOR. HE EARNED HIS MFA FROM THE MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART'S RINEHART SCHOOL OF SCULPTURE IN 2004 AS WELL AS HIS BFA FROM MICA IN 2002. HE HAS BEEN A VISITING LECTURER/ARTIST AT INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY AND HOWARD COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE. DESMOND WAS THE 2004 SUMMER FELLOW AT THE FINE ARTS WORK CENTER IN PROVINCETOWN, MA AND AN ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE AT WOMEN HOUSING CORRELATION IN BALTIMORE, MD. HE WAS MICA’S 2004 JOAN MITCHELL MFA AWARD NOMINEE.

DESMOND’S WORK IS ABOUT HONORING HIS IMMEDIATE ANCESTORS AND THOSE OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. HE CREATES SACRED SPACES FOR THEIR SPIRITS TO REST IN. HE IS ALSO INTERESTED IN SHARING THE INTROSPECTIVE MOMENTS OF EVERYDAY LIFE WITH VIEWERS. DESMOND’S WORK EXPLORES THE INTERNAL DIALOGUE AND DUALITY IN THE RELATIONSHIP THAT PEOPLE HAVE WITH ONE ANOTHER, AS WELL AS CREATING WORK THAT COMMENTS ON THE SOCIAL STEREOTYPES SURROUNDING AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN. HE MAKES CONNECTIONS WITH THE VIEWER THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF MEDIUMS, INCLUDING SCULPTURE, MASK AND HEADDRESS, FIBER ARTS, INSTALLATIONS, PERFORMANCE, PAINTING, DRAWING AND MIXED MEDIA. HE BELIEVES THAT HIS WORK AS AN ARTIST IS A CALLING.