New York City has a rhythm all its own—a constant pulse of sound, color, movement, and people. 

"As I walk through its streets, I’m not just observing the architecture or the bustle; I’m absorbing the layers," explains artist Bethany Harper Williams. "The patterns, the energy, the human interactions—they all find their way into my canvas."

Her city-inspired work takes on a more abstract tone. 

"Instead of capturing exact scenes, I use overlapping shapes, textures, and repeating motifs to convey the motion and emotion of the city," she says. "There’s something magnetic about how warm and cool tones collide, how color reacts with pattern, and how even in chaos, you can find rhythm and harmony."

Where the beach offers calm and nostalgia, the city brings edge and dynamism. 

"Yet both share something important in my process: an attempt to distill a fleeting moment and give it life through energetic brushwork and intentional abstraction," shares Williamns. "In both series—beach and city—I explore how abstract elements can evoke deeply emotional responses."

Williams is always intrigued by how we as viewers are drawn in by color, form, and suggestion, and how our own experiences fill in the rest of the story.

Her recent dog portraits fall somewhere in between. 

"I love capturing their character—playful, quirky, expressive—while keeping the brushwork loose and energetic, just like my other paintings," says Williams. "They’re a reminder that joy, personality, and emotion can live in every subject, no matter how abstract the interpretation."

Virtual Tour of All Available Work from Bethany Harper Williams

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