"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.” Pablo Picasso. 

This summer, Maine Art Hill invites you to experience Seaside Stories, an exhibition capturing the heart of coastal life. Opening on Saturday, July 5, the show features the work of two celebrated artists: David Witbeck and Bethany Harper Williams. Through their distinctive styles, both artists bring to life the essence of summer—sun-drenched shores, salty breezes, and the timeless charm of seaside adventures.

Maine Art Hill’s owner, John Spain, says, “Witbeck’s bold, whimsical characters and working waterfronts resonate with nostalgia and humor, while Williams' serene, light-filled scenes invite you to pause and breathe in the tranquility of beachside moments. Together, their work forms a personal and familiar narrative—a celebration of the stories we all carry from summers by the sea.”

Click to View the Virtual Tour of Seaside Stories

For Bethany Harper Williams, her work lives in that in-between space—the meeting point of memory, movement, and moment.

“There’s a balance I’m always chasing, between what’s real and imagined,” Bethany Harper Williams says about her oil paintings. “The world isn’t static. We’re constantly in motion, and so is everything around us. It blurs the lines. The hard edges soften; light transforms even the most concrete surfaces.”

This energy finds its way into her paintings. She begins with the expansiveness of nature or the urban landscape—something familiar—and breaks it down using expressive brushstrokes, subtle textures, and simplified forms. Then come the unexpected layers: vibrant patterns, symbolic shapes, bursts of color. Together, they create a visual experience that feels both dynamic and serene.

Bethany’s goal isn’t to recreate what she sees, but to distill how it feels. “When I strip away the expected,” she says, “I leave space for emotion. For interpretation. That’s where the connection happens.”

Her work invites viewers to step into that space between recognition and imagination—and to stay a while.

Virtual Tour of All Available Work from Bethany Harper Williams

For artist David Witbeck, it isn’t just painting coastal scenes—he’s building a cast of characters, each one full of personality, humor, and heart.

“Lately, I’ve been feeling something shifting in my work,” he says. “I’m not quite sure what it is yet, but I know it’ll still carry that same irreverent style people expect from me.”

That signature style—bold lines, exaggerated forms, a playful wink at coastal life—has long defined Witbeck’s work. But if you look closer, you will see a quiet evolution. His characters are becoming more layered and expressive.

“They all start as a few simple shapes,” he explains, “but then I keep adding more. Each one becomes more complex than the last.”

There’s also a bit more introspection these days. “I’ve let go of that total disregard for objective reality I used to have,” he admits with a smile. “There’s something lost in that, maybe—but something gained, too. That’s just life.”

Both artists' work continues to balance lightness with depth, and joy with reflection. As their work evolves, so does their storytelling—one brushstroke at a time.

Virtual Tour of All Available Work from David Witbeck