Greg Bean never planned to be an artist. For most of his career, he worked as a police detective and says he was “basically an art imbecile,” completely avoiding art after a discouraging experience in junior high. In 1999, that changed when his lieutenant found out and literally ordered him to learn forensic composite drawing.
Though reluctant, Greg says his instructor was wonderful, explaining that “drawing is 90% in your head.” After a 40-hour course, he began creating composite sketches for real cases. “It was nerve-wracking,” he says, recalling the pressure of working on serious crimes. But, his drawings helped identify and arrest criminals from across Washington state and beyond.
He grew so attached to art that after retirement, he went back to BYU to get a BFA in illustration. This drawing was one of three 30"x40" pieces he created for his final project. “I wondered if I could use lettering, like hatching, to literally create a portrait in letters,” he recalls. “There’s just lots and lots of itty bitty marks,” he says, noting that each one must work both as a letter up close and as part of a portrait from a distance.
Now retired from law enforcement, Greg works primarily on commissioned pieces and describes art as “a great retirement gig.” His work can be viewed on Instagram at @gbeanarts.
“I wondered if I could use lettering to create a portrait in letters.”