By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — Call her Dr. Lyons, if you will, but don’t expect Beth Lyons to write you a prescription for a common cold or administer a flu shot. She is not that kind of “Dr.”

Now retired as a psychologist and living at the top of “Aho Mountain,” Lyons is practicing a different kind of therapy. She is one of the featured artists July 21-27 at Edgewood Cottage for the Blowing Rock Historical Society’s “Artists in Residence” series.

Examining her work on display for the free art show, she switches from landscape to abstract styles with relative ease.

“I have always loved art but I became even more interested after a visit to The Turchin Center in Boone and viewing an exhibit featuring alcohol ink pieces in 2019. I loved those colors,” she said of the Blue House Art Studio exhibit and a “Inkalicious: Alcohol Inks” outreach workshop then hosted by The Turchin Center.

I am really interested in people. I like people. I like their stories. There is a parallel in art and storytelling.

Fascinated, she started dabbling in her newfound free time of retirement.

“I initially fell in love with alcohol ink in 2019, and that same year I became really interested in painting with brushes and really learning how to paint. Shortly after I started, of course, was the COVID-19 pandemic. I continued to paint, then (when things opened back up) later began to go to some workshops and study, learning from really good painters.”

One might think that a retired psychologist-turned-abstract painter had seen one too many Rorschach tests (those psychological assessments using inkblots), but for Lyons that isn’t the case.

“Looking at other people’s art is really inspiring, seeing what they come with,” said Lyons, “but especially with landscapes it is about nature. I spend a lot of time outdoors and I will get a specific scene in my head and I want to do something with it. I love color, lots of color.”

Had she seen too many Rorschach tests?

Born in Asheville and mostly raised there during her formative years, her family eventually moved to Atlanta. Then she attended the University of Georgia before going to graduate school at the University of North Texas (Denton, Texas).

“Back then, North Texas was best known for its jazz music school. That isn’t why I went there. I am a psychologist by training and profession. That is where I got my doctorate. Then I got a job in Dallas and eventually moved to Memphis for another job,” she recalled.

Speaking to a question about how her interest and training in psychology impacted her new avocation in art, Lyons said, “I am really interested in people. I like people. I like their stories. Maybe there is a parallel in the storytelling.”

Lyons said she hikes a lot in the High Country and all of her landscapes are scenes she has captured in her head, walking around the many different scenic locations in the area.

“All the ‘foresty’ ones are from around here. All the ones of Grandfather Mountain are from the views off my back deck at home. It is a pretty great view and with the colors changing all year long… plus we are facing west so there is the sunset and the clouds,” she said, reflectively.

Now retired, professionally, from the psychology world, Lyons said she uses her increased amount of “free time” to become more knowledgeable about art.

“I have more time to paint and I have more time to experiment with different materials and mediums, as well as learning from different teachers. Plus, the repetition. I paint a lot,” she said.

When it comes to influences for her work, Lyons sort of frowned at the suggestion that Pablo Picasso or Jackson Pollock might be important to her.

“I have a teacher in Charlotte who I love, Andy Braitman. Up here, you can see some of his work in the Carlton Gallery, towards Banner Elk, in Foscoe. He has been very influential. He does all sorts of landscapes and I have learned a lot from him.”

Edgewood Cottage is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and most, if not all of the art on display is available for purchase, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the work of the Blowing Rock Historical Society.