Bethany Harper Williams is excited to show her new series she calls“Near and Far.”
“I can’t seem to get away from the beach or the water,” shares Bethany. “These are truly what inspires me.”
In this series, she is experimenting with composition and perspective, placing a cropped-in section of a bold element in the foreground – very near.
“For the beach scenes, the ‘near’ is either an umbrella, a beach chair, or even the side of a house,” she explains. “Not only do I like the graphic element that is introduced, but I like how it changes the perspective of the viewer.”
Suddenly, we feel like we are right there, looking out to the beach in the distance. Similarly, with some of the sailing scenes, the viewer has to look past the large section of sail in the foreground to see the boats beyond.
“As in the past, I continue to abstract the details. It takes the viewer away from the specifics of who and where and allows the image to evoke a personal memory. Therefore the painting resonates with each individual viewer,” Bethany shares. “The large spaces of water and sky are filled with patches of color and accented with different textures, patterns, and whimsical marks. I never know or plan where these marks and patterns will be placed, I just follow where my hand leads me.”
These abstractions take the viewer away from the reality of the painting and allow them to keep exploring beyond their first impression.
“During these unprecedented times, I have had a lot of time to focus on my painting and to reflect. I am grateful to be able to continue doing what I love, and I am so appreciative of the support and interest in my work,” says Bethany. “It brings me great pleasure, knowing that my paintings bring a bit of color and joy into people’s homes.”
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ELLEN GRANTER, BETHANY HARPER WILLIAMS AND TRIP PARK – A SUMMER SHOW 2020