During the COVID-19 pandemic, Beth Dilley painted a series of houses in an exploration of the definition of home. A structured sense of creativity and artistry can be seen in these works. But in more recent years, Beth has delved into painting abstracts. In addition to using thin, liquid acrylics on a flat surface, Beth primarily paints on large canvases that allow her to circle the piece and approach it equally from all sides. This freeform style feels wilder, even as she paints with purpose and precision.
“It's about evoking a feeling or an emotion without necessarily being tied to a specific place,” says Beth. The allure of an abstract piece is the exchange of ideas between the viewer and the artist, drawing them in with a request to figure out what it is that they see. “They require more of the viewer as opposed to a barn or a specific place where it just is what it is,” Beth explains.
The beauty of Beth’s abstract works is in the painting itself but also the purpose, or story, behind it. “Recovery” is an abstract piece that combines organic and geometric shapes in a pattern that speaks of both precision and fluidity. “It's about my relationship with my husband,” Beth says. “He's an engineer and I'm an artist, but we always find exciting intersections in the way our minds work. There is beauty in learning that these very different approaches to life can create harmony. It isn't just necessary to make room for all types of people, it is desirable. We work better together because we are so different.”
A single horizon line is all the structure Beth gives herself to create her abstract pieces. Other than that, it’s her own creativity and knowledge of the elements and principles of artistic composition that guide her. Beth is classically trained and possesses a BFA, but a wild sense of creativity can be found in her process and techniques. Beth says, “Every time I approach a canvas, the canvas becomes what it becomes as I'm going.”