The Life with Belle Be — Becoming the Artist I Was Meant to Be

The Mischief That Started It All

My art story didn’t begin in a classroom or under a teacher's guidance. It started with a bit of mischief.

I was five years old when I borrowed—without permission—my mother’s architectural drawing tools. Those cool, shiny rulers and mysterious drafting gadgets felt like treasure to my small hands. While she searched for what had gone missing, I was already sketching worlds that had only existed inside my imagination.

I didn’t know it then, but that moment would become the first spark of a lifelong creative fire. That tiny act of rebellion became the first brushstroke of the life I was destined to live—a life painted with courage, curiosity, and boundless imagination.

The Making of a Self-Taught Soul

I am a self-taught artist in every sense of the word. Art taught me long before I taught myself.

Through trial, error, joy, and messy discoveries, I found my voice. Over the years, that voice has spoken through many media: murals, canvas paintings, water-surface paintings, portraits, still-life drawings, wall sculpture, mixed media, and abstract expression.

But visual glass painting—watching light bend through color—became my sanctuary. There is something sacred about seeing pigment glow through glass, as if the art is illuminated from within. With every pencil, marker, paintbrush, shard of glass, and sharp tool I lifted, I stepped out of my comfort zone again. Afraid. Unsure. Yet powerful—far more powerful than I realized.

Every mistake became a lesson. Every “failure” was a stepping stone. And every creation, no matter how small, whispered the same truth: I was meant to create, to shine, to leave my mark on the world.

When St. Louis Became My Canvas

My earliest exhibitions were in the St. Louis Metropolitan area, where my water-based artwork first caught the public's attention. From there, my creations found their way onto designer clothing, into local galleries, and onto the walls of academic institutions.

One of the most meaningful moments came at Maryville University, where my artwork hung proudly in their Multicultural Corner. The Director of Multicultural Programs—now the Founder of No More Margins—believed in my work long before I knew how to believe in myself. That validation, so simple yet profound, reminded me that someone else saw what I sometimes couldn’t: the artist I was becoming.

The Moment I Almost Stopped Creating

Later, she reached out again, asking me to submit artwork to her journal. What she didn’t know was that I had quietly decided to put down my brush. I felt lost and uncertain. Nothing I created felt good enough. I thought maybe it was time to rebrand myself into someone else—someone who didn’t have to carry the weight of artistry.

But then her email came. My artwork had been selected for the journal. And shortly after, she sent a text asking if my art could be used for the cover. That single message changed everything. It lit my world on fire. It reminded me of what had always been inside me. It pulled me back to life.

Sometimes, all it takes is one moment—a single act of belief from someone else—to rekindle the courage we thought we’d lost.

This Is the Life…and Here I Am

And now I am here—writing to you for the first time and stepping outside my comfort zone and doing it afraid, walking into uncharted territory with trembling hands and an open heart.

Because that is how every chapter of my art life has been written—by painting through fear, sculpting through uncertainty, and trusting the vision long before the final picture existed, I have walked through doubt, defeat, failure, and fog. And yet, joy rose each time. Strength grew each time. Empowerment crowned each moment I chose not to quit.

Welcome to the beginning of “The Life with Belle Be.”

The Art That Traveled Further Than I Ever Imagined

St. Louis opened doors I never expected to open. A drawing of Jim Jones was published in InBox Magazine, and soon after, I became the magazine’s DVD Personality Artist and Host.

Then came the moment that felt like a dream dipped in neon—my artwork appeared on a 200-foot digital billboard in Times Square. Two days. A live feature segment. A crowd of thousands. My art glows over the city that never sleeps.

“This girl right here… is on fire,” I whispered to myself as I looked up in disbelief.

And then life poured on another blessing: two of my designs were chosen as official United States postage stamps. My art—once drawn with stolen tools—is now traveling across the nation in the hands of strangers.

Every piece carried my story, my struggle, my hope. And every recognition reminded me: the journey is just as beautiful as the destination.

New Media, New Courage

I continued to challenge myself, creating custom glass portrait paintings. These pieces took fear, patience, and pure heart. I had the honor of presenting portraits to respected St. Louis figures, including a beloved radio personality, the founder of the Un-GUN Institute, and a celebrated American R&B singer-songwriter.

Each portrait became a testimony. Each reflection is a reminder of what courage can create.

Becoming Who I Was Always Meant to Be

Today, as the CEO of Belle Be Proclaimed Arts, I create with intention and soul. My journey is a mosaic of resilience, rebirth, doubt, discovery, and divine timing. Creativity isn’t just what I do—it is who I am. It is how I breathe, how I heal, how I rise.

And to think… it all started with a curious little girl, a spark of imagination, and her mother’s missing drawing tools.

If there is one truth I hope to leave with you, it’s this: your spark, however small or forbidden it feels, is powerful. Nurture it. Protect it. Follow it through fear because that spark is the beginning of your life, the art, and the legacy you were always meant to create.

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Belle Be

Saint Louis–born Afro-Indigenous artist Belle Be is a global force of creativity, painting the world in vivid color, culture, and charisma. A self-taught visionary since age five, she’s renowned for her visual glass painting, acting, modeling, and award-winning event hosting. As the CEO of Belle Be Proclaimed Arts and producer of Sistahs Wit Disabilities, Belle’s artistry has graced Times Square billboards, U.S. postage stamps, and designer fashion. She has shared stages with R&B greats, starred in sold-out plays, and managed top talents.