“People often tell me my work is happy or makes them smile. That truly reflects me,” shares artist Bethany Harper Williams. “I am in my happy place when I am painting, especially when painting memories of Maine.”
Maine Art Hill and The Gallery at the Grand invite you to see the coast through the eyes of Biddeford Pool resident and artist Bethany Harper Williams. This summer solo show features all new works from Williams and runs for three weeks, beginning June 10 through July 5. In addition, there is a public opening artist reception Saturday, June 10, from 5 to 7 pm. This is a beautiful time to meet the artist and enjoy these incredible works.
Bethany Harper Williams
Brighter than the Sun
Oil on Canvas
40" X 60"
This is Williams’ first solo show in a few years, and the excitement has been building all winter. The space at the stunning Grand Hotel at 1 Chase Hill Road has been redecorated to truly enhance the works of art displayed during the summer season.
“To have Bethany open the Gallery at the Grand this year was a deliberate decision,” shares Maine Art Hill owner John Spain. “Her works capture a sense of summer like no other. Her work’s palette and dimension is light, airy, and welcoming. If there is one word to describe the work of Williams, it is joy. It is simple and real. We hear it often as clients walk through the galleries.”
Many describe Williams’ work as representational. However, the abstraction in the detail gives each piece a distinction that is purely Willams. By simplifying the landscape, Williams aims to capture a memory without the details of representation.
Bethany Harper Williams
Soaking Up the Sun
Oil on Canvas
36" x 48"
“I am always looking for the abstract in nature – removing the details and using the large spaces to play with shapes, patterns, and colors,” says Williams. “I stay loose, not trying to recreate a specific place or person but to capture a moment or a memory. So the viewer connects by relating to their memory.”
When questioned about her work, especially the interesting patterns she creates in paint, it always comes down to how the process works. What is the plan? Ironically, the answer is that there is no plan.
“I don’t plan where the patterns will go. They are just an expression of what I’m feeling now,” Williams says. “I often leave a painting and come back to it to see it from a different perspective and then add to it. That’s usually when the fun stuff happens!”
Bethany Harper Williams
The Wind is Right
Oil on Canvas
24" x 24"
To see “the fun stuff” in person, visit the Gallery at the Grand at 1 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk from June 10 to July 5. Don’t forget the public artist reception from 5 to 7 pm on Saturday, June 10. After that, the doors open, and sales begin at 10 am on Saturday and every day. FMI call 207-967-0049