Spanish Fork resident and artist Beki Tobiasson is always entering art shows and chasing her dream of sharing hope and light through her work. Most recently, she achieved her years-long dream of getting her artwork accepted into the renowned International Art Show hosted by the Church History Museum of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Tobiasson said that this milestone came through years of “continual self-improvement,” adding that her art “didn’t have anything to do with raw talent” (though she has plenty of that). Her ability to succeed, she said, all comes down to the fact that she was “dumb enough to try.” This saying became her mantra, which she eagerly shares with anyone looking for advice on how to overcome their fears.
“I grew up with a family of extreme perfectionists and I watched how perfectionism robbed them of life,” Tobiasson explained. “As I watched them, I would see they had the ability and they had the eye for it and the talent. But because they were so afraid that it wasn’t going to be perfect, they wouldn’t do it.”
“Every time I come against something that is too scary or is way above me, I’m like, ‘why not? I’m dumb enough to try,’” she continued. “That has made all the difference.”
Tobiasson explained that it’s human nature to doubt yourself and feel like you’re not good enough. Those very fears, however, can be powerful enough to hold you back and keep you from becoming the person you want to be.
Tobiasson also claimed that it’s not enough to have a “why” for what you want to do because if you don’t meet up to your “why,” then it’s an instant excuse to give up. Instead, she explained, the thing you want to do should become your passion.
“For me, it was super important to create a community of friends,” she said. “It became my life. My friends were in art, and we talked about art. It became my joy, my play, my excitement, my fun. That took all of the intimidation out of trying to come up with my “‘why.’”
Working up the courage to try doesn’t always guarantee that success will fall in your lap. In fact, Tobiasson’s artwork was rejected twice from The International Art Show before it was finally accepted on her third attempt. Only 150 pieces out of more than 1,300 submissions were accepted.
Had Tobiasson simply given up after the first or second rejection, she never would have experienced the joy of finally achieving her goal.
The International Art Show opens in April 2025 at the Church History Museum with the theme “Lift Up the Hands Which Hang Down.” Tobiasson’s accepted piece, titled “Hearts Turning,” is more than just a painting. It holds a treasured place in her heart and illustrates her belief about ancestors being a part of our daily lives.
“I have felt the presence of my ancestors through raising my eight wild Viking children,”
Tobiasson said with a heartfelt chuckle. “I wanted to honor them because I felt like they helped me over and over when my hands hung down low. We often think about ancestors or guardian angels as being protectors or warning us … but I felt them laugh with me. I felt them dance with me. I felt them rejoice with me. And so, I wanted to paint something that showed them finding joy in the moments.
“I chose to have them dancing in a circle doing ring-around-the-rosies. There are those who are on Earth in this ring and there are those who are in Heaven, and they’re in a circle holding hands. The title of the piece is ‘Hearts Turning,’ and that honors the hearts of the fathers turning to the children and the hearts of the children turning to the fathers.”
Tobiasson constantly lifts and encourages others to try things they’ve always wanted to do, even if they’re scared of failing.
“Just be dumb enough to try and let go of perfectionism,” she said. “Let it go. We think that we have to be gifted or talented or skilled in order to do whatever dream it is that we want to do, and it’s not true. We just have to be the one who doesn’t give up, but who just keeps trying. Every time we try, we learn a little bit more. The only thing that makes us different is that we do it longer and we try more times than somebody else.”
Tobiasson hopes to encourage those who are nervously making New Year’s Resolution, to not be afraid to finally pursue a lifelong dream. As Tobiasson explained, it’s not always about being gifted or uniquely talented to succeed, all it takes is being “dumb enough to try” and to just keep trying.
