2024 Small Work Show artist Beth Cole

When I step into the landscape as a painter, I see before me the chaos of nature. My approach is to simplify what I see, transform chaos into order if you will, and create a peaceful and calming piece of art.

My background in piano from a young age, is what led me to pain<ng, and it continues to inform all of my work. Piano taught me when to use a delicate touch and when to use speed and force. In the same way, my pain<ng gestures and brushstrokes communicate a certain energy or calmness, and my paint mixing and application express mood and atmosphere, and may even allude to the ethereal.

Small studies of value and color help me to organize what I see. I am friends with many of the pain<ng mediums, but oil is my best friend and what I use most often. My pencil has also become a trusted advisor.

I hope you see in my paintings the sense of peace I have when I paint. If I could package this calmness in some way, I surely would. But for now, I offer the steady work of my hands with paint, brushes, and gratitude.

Artist Statement
Beth Cole