Artist Spotlight: Bethany Mabee

I had the pleasure of hearing Bethany Mabee openly share her lifelong love of art, the challenges she’s overcome, and the evolution of her creative practice. It’s always a delight to learn more about the artists behind the work, and we’re excited to feature Bethany in our Abstract Expressionist Show on December 6th. Jot that down!

I did! I’m not sure how or when it started but I always loved drawing as a kid. It calmed my racing mind and allowed me to feel good at something. I wanted to major in fine art in college but my parents discouraged it, pushing me towards graphic design instead. I hated every minute of it - it was far too technical for me. But I loved being in a creative department and the studio courses that came with it. I always knew that art had to be a part of my life some how, some
way.

This is an important one...it’s all about creating the mood! I can’t just jump into creating mode or a new phase of my process. So anytime I’m transitioning out of a completed project and into a new one, I typically take a day just to move things around in the studio. I purge accumulated trash and completely rearrange the layout! It’s my way of hitting the reset button so that I can see things with a new set of eyes. I’m sure it’s also my way of procrastinating....but I think things need some time to percolate and nothing allows that more for me than a good rearrange! On a day-to-day basis it’s all about the music selection. I have to check in with my mood and what will most allow me to let go. Sometimes that’s something instrumental and other days I need to be able to belt songs out mindlessly. Podcasts or audio books are usually reserved for the more manual labor days of gluing up, painting sides, wiring etc...

I grew up being told I was a “good artist” because I could draw things to look like the things! This combined with my graphic design major, there was a big focus on precision that I so badly wanted to break out of. It wasn’t until my early twenties that I finally listened to my strong urge to play with abstract painting. I grew to love acrylic paint because of it’s quick drying abilities. It allowed me to quickly assess which areas of a piece were worth preserving and which ones needed covered up. And if that was a wrong choice - I could act quickly and erase those layers without losing the dried work below. Acrylic is still my choice for this reason - it allows me to act more in the moment!

I’ve since added new mediums to my studio practice: I started creating paintings on paper as warm up exercises to play with palette choices before beginning a large piece on canvas. When I move into large canvas mode, I begin by mixing colors and painting solid strips of canvas in each color mixed. These strips allow me to have scraps around that I can cut and tape up to a canvas as a guide to the composition. I grew to love the process of cutting these strips up so much that it naturally led to arranging them into collage. Meantime, my works on paper were piling up around the studio. The ones that feel worthy of selling have become a new offering, while others are cut up and used in collage along with remnants of my fabric patterns. These new mediums started as happy accidents but have become a huge part of my overall cyclical process in the studio!

Probably myself! Navigating self-judgment, comparison, validation, expectations. You have to continually confront self talk on the creative journey. And while it’s one of the biggest obstacles - it’s what creates the most fulfillment in my opinion! Having a studio practice that allows me to observe myself, overcome myself and produce a tangible “thing” that mirrors how well I did at letting go vs controlling is a wonderful thing! I can look back over the years and pinpoint which pieces were created from a place of joy and freedom vs force and questioning. The pieces where I just let myself play without any consideration of the outside world are always my favorite and come with the most ease. So the biggest obstacles to overcome are the things within myself that prevents me from letting go to just enjoy the process.

I am really drawn to the earthy quality and texture of Kristen Abbot’s work. As artists we tend to pick one lane that we go down that we’re most drawn to create from - for me that’s bold color and geometric shapes. But that isn’t the sum of my parts, so I’m always drawn to artists that have an essence that resonates but that’s outside of my art lane. Her pieces have such a beautiful sense of light and a strong connection to nature that pulls me in. I also really love Ron Guisti’s work. I love the way he uses texture, color and form to create a pop of color that is super impactful but not overpowering! Simple pieces are the hardest to create. They take a lot of restraint and confidence in my opinion. So I admire Ron’s work!

I still work remotely as a furniture procurement consultant for high-end residential designers. This is a field that I stumbled into after college at an architectural firm in Chicago. I’ve been working in this capacity in the interior design industry for 20 years now and it’s something that I just don’t want to give up! It fulfills my analytical side that craves organization and makes my messy studio time all the more special! I also have a fabric and wallpaper line that is available to the design trade. This has been a really fulfilling offshoot of my artwork that allows my paintings to take on a new life within an industry that I love so much. My patterns are created digitally from high-res scans of my completed paintings. Another way to fulfill that side of myself that loves order and pattern seeking!

I think the push was initially less about selling my work and more about sharing it - which just felt necessary for reasons unknown! This was a scary and vulnerable phase, but one that pushed me to find my own language as an artist. And of course every artist hopes that in sharing their work, they sell it! But it can be a vicious game of using sales or the lack there of, to validate your work. But I love that this offers yet another layer of personal growth to continually come back to as an artist.

Want to see Bethany's work in person? She will be one of five artists participating in our December 6th, Abstract Expressionist Show. Mark your calendars and join Bethany's Presale List!