portfolio
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Bethany J. Watt
Artist Bio
Bethany J. Watt is a self-taught artist living in the North-West of England who specialises in using gouache & watercolours to create bright, eye-catching nature inspired pieces. Her love for the arts and nature, nurtured since childhood, is expressed through her collection of paintings, which she often describes as, ‘an ongoing love-letter to Gaia, to mother nature herself.’
Despite her physical limitations, her art continues to explore her deep connection to the earth, encompassing the beauty of nature she may not always be able to experience first-hand.
Over the last two years, she has painted over one hundred landscapes, honing her skills as a way to process her grief of losing her grandmother, who was also an artist & watercolourist. She was a great inspiration and influence to Bethany, as they shared a love for both art & nature. Painting has helped her on her personal journey of healing.
Alongside her goal of becoming a self-sustained professional artist, Bethany aspires to combine her illustrations with storytelling, bringing her fictional worlds to life and sharing them with the world. Until then, she will continue to commit herself to always learning, experimenting, and expanding her knowledge with various mediums, embracing the belief that creating art sets the soul free.
Artist Statement
For me, art is not only an expression of life, but a way to give meaning to my own. It sustains me. Amidst all of life’s pain and hardship, art offers us a way to transform those struggles into something beautiful –something that transcends the mundane.
In my collection of paintings, I aim to portray a feeling of rose-tinted nostalgia –a sweetness we once called our own now viewed fondly from afar, with memories that are soft and hazy, fleeting like a sweet summer afternoon. This is how I choose to view the world. In both my artwork and life, I seek out the light, even and most especially in the darkness. It’s something we all must do –cling to the light.
What art means to me.
Art has always been a constant and ever-growing passion in my life, intermingled with an appreciation of the natural world and a love of literature. The three pillars in which I stand on. Predating my own self-awareness, a love of the arts existed within me and spilled from me like rain falling from the clouds. I made my marks, scribbled the rainbows, painted my blues, and to this day I still do. To talk about how I started my art journey, is to talk about my life itself, because for me, art and life will forever be intertwined.
jun
2024
Skies to the Seas
aug. 2023
This piece was created over many months using several layers of oil paint, thinned to a soft and dreamy consistency. This was my first oil painting as a self-taught artist, before I knew the benefits of underpainting or prepping a canvas. So my process was simply to explore, experiment, and enjoy without any rigid rules. I started softly, painting a plain blue background for the skies, then I used soft and fluid brush strokes of thinned oil paint to create the waves. It took a few hours to accomplish. And then, I hesitated for around five months in fear. I knew I wanted to add the northern lights, but I was so scared to ruin it. Eventually, I pushed through my fears and started painting the lights, then softly brushing the paint up the canvas with a clean brush to create the effect. For me, this piece shows how many joys in life are brief, like the glimpses of the northern lights, but their beauty is indescribable and stays with us for a lifetime.
Darling, don't drown
JUN
2020
Artist Statement
"For me, art is not only an expression of life, but a way to give meaning to my own. It sustains me. Amidst all of life’s pain and hardship, art offers us a way to transform those struggles into something beautiful –something that transcends the mundane."
This piece is a fine example of that, as the inspiration for ‘Darling, don’t drown,’ came from my struggles with depression.
I saw life as an ocean and depression was the anchor tied to my leg, always pulling me down. Some days, I could fight to keep my head above water, but other days, the anchor won. It dragged me to the bottomless depths, slowly drowning me in plain sight while
Artwork Description
everybody around me swam freely. Good or bad days, the anchor is always there, gripping at your ankle. That is depression. Through this piece, I have attempted to visualise this familiar feeling. It remains a reflection of my personal journey with depression, and inspires me to keep fighting to stay above water.
’Darling, don’t drown’ began with a simple doodle-like sketch before I picked up my paintbrushes and began layering. I started with a very thin layer of water for the background and added strokes of blue paint in a fluid motion, building the textures you see in the picture. I left it to dry, then added the black paint coming from the bottom of the piece, to signify the depression that pulls you down. I allowed time for each layer to dry, building upon that, I began painting her skin, layering her until it was finished. It took around seven layers to complete.
SUNLIGHT
Artist Statement
For me, art is not only an expression of life, but a way to give meaning to my own. It sustains me. Amidst all of life’s pain and hardship, art offers us a way to transform those struggles into something beautiful –something that transcends the mundane.
In my collection of paintings, I aim to portray a feeling of rose-tinted nostalgia –a sweetness we once called our own now viewed fondly from afar, with memories that are soft and hazy, fleeting like a sweet summer afternoon. This is how I choose to view the world. In both my artwork and life, I seek out the light, even and most especially in the darkness. It’s something we all must do –cling to the light.
Artwork Description
’Sunlight’ is an exploration of the magical everyday moments we find in nature. I aim to inspire slowness, encouraging the viewer to pause and notice the little moments of magical serenity we often overlook in the rush of life.
By taking time to reflect, we allow space for admiration and creativity to flow. A person could look at a tree, and to them, that is all it will be. And that's fine. It's just a tree, after all. But what else could it be?
To a child, it could be a playground, something to climb on, a way to see higher heights. To a bird, a home. To a carpenter, a source of their livelihood. A writer, perhaps something to lean on? Or maybe, a magical portal to transport their characters to a fantasy land. The possibilities are endless. To me, nothing is ever just. I want this painting to be a reminder for us all; to notice the magic around us, whether its nature, a moment, or in the soft stillness of our day-to-day.
I began with a very fine sketch to outline the trees before I began a thin underpainting of ochre yellow watercolour. After leaving it to dry, I began with thin layers of gouache, adding the shadows, mid-tones, highlights. I wanted to bring the sunlight down through the trees and adjusted the colours accordingly. The final layers were added with a butter-like consistency of gouache giving it the final pop of colour.
feb
2025
Viridescent Valleys
Artwork Description
'Viridescent valleys', is an ode to the beauty and vibrancy of nature through my own landscape. Through the colours and fine details, I hope to capture the essence of the natural world and its exchange with life.
This painting depicts a valley nestled between a mountain range, with a vibrant and viridescent stretch of florals within it. Surrounded by trees, it feels like a pocket of heaven painted with lush colours. The greenery and vibrant flowers compliment each-other nicely, adding depth to the painting, while the soft flow of the river adds a sense of calm to the composition. I hope to capture the coexistence oof natures many wonderful elements. 'Viridescent valleys' is a piece that was created with many layers of Gouache and watercolour paints. I didn't sketch first, just dived right in with the colours. After layering, starting with the thinnest layers, I began working on the background; the mountains and trees. Working left to right, I brought the flowers round with a pop of orange in the distance, and worked on the closer details. It was a pleasure to paint and I really like how it turned out, it really captures the serenity I was aiming for.
mar.
2023
The Heart of the Mountains
snowdonia (yr wyddfa)
One fine summers afternoon, I took this photograph while exploring Snowdon with my family. We walked through fields of sheep and had a picnic beside the river. Wales is always among my favourite places, its so deeply ingrained into my memories from being a child and having trips to my grandmama's house, to when I lived there for a few years. This photo is unedited. There was no need to edit it, in my opinion, as the beauty of Wales is so astonishing. Upon reflection, I knew I had to paint it.
Artwork Description
The process of this painting was mostly layering. I created it with watercolours, starting with very thin layers for the leaves, then the grass. After letting each layer dry, I went back in with very precise brush strokes to distinguish the bark and grass strokes, blending it in with the shadows. After several layers, it was finished. I do like this painting, but of course, nothing can ever quite recreate the beauty of Wales!
aug.
2022
Day by the pond
Artist Statement
This painting features two little ducks swimming across a shimmering pond, creating gentle ripples that travel across the water. To begin, I sketched the ducks and then did an underpainting of very light blue for the water. Once dried, I began blending soft blues together throughout the piece. After leaving each layer to dry, I then went in with darker blues in the respective areas to create depth and shadows within the water, only afterwards did I go in with very fine white highlights to show the reflections on the water. The brushstrokes I used were fluid, in hopes to capture the same fluidity within the water.
'A Day by the Pond', captures my adoration of wildlife and how silent observation can bring feelings of gentle serenity to a person. Sitting by the river and observing ducks is a form of mindfulness to me, not just ducks, but wildlife and nature in general. Through my art, I hope to portray glimpses of this feeling.
Artwork Description
jan 2025
Whispers within
Artist Statement
This piece Through this piece, I wanted to evoke a sense of mystical wonder within the viewer, a feeling of softness combined with curiosity, almost as though you are in the painting itself, wondering where the sunlight is leading you to.
Artwork Description
'Whispers within', is a bold, eye-catching and vibrant painting created with many layers of gouache paint. I started with a thin, rough sketch, before diving in with thin layers of colours in the respective areas. I began blocking the colours, before adding details in the background and leaves. Once each layer dried, I began building up the gouache with thicker layers, until adding the final details. I wanted to show the vibrancy of the forest that is so often missed when trying to capture it on film, how the colours pop beneath the blazing sun as it hits the foliage and pours onto the ground. The path leads to the sun, shining on the ground, leading you to brighter places. Use of saturated colours combined with dynamic brushstrokes adds life to the painting.
apr. 2024
Misty Mountains
Artist Statement
I am captivated by the timeless beauty of nature and its changing seasons. I wanted to capture that tranquillity I feel when looking upon misty mountains, when the clouds settle lower, blanketing the scenery in fog. Through my work, I aspire to evoke that feeling of peace and reflection.
Artwork Description
This scene is set within the misty mountains themselves, with dark evergreens climbing the hillsides, and a fog lingering within them. I began with gouache, thinly painting the foggy background. After letting each layer dry, I went back in with slightly thicker layers to create the hillside and trees. After only a few layers, I added the final touches on the trees poking out of the fog, defining the painting. The contrast between the dark, shadowy trees, and the light mist creates depth in the composition. This painting captures the beauty of nature.
apr 2024
HEATHER
Artist Statement
This painting, 'Heather', was inspired by the peak district, near my home. Its a place I love, though admittedly I don't travel there very often due to it being so hard to get to (I don't drive due to sight loss), but still, its a beautiful place.
Artwork Description
I started sketching it with watercolour paints to get the outlines and general placements, before going in with thin layers of colour. After colour-blocking, I began gradually increasing the thickness of gouache before adding a final, thick layer for the light details. I like how this one turned out, though in hindsight, I would now start with an underpainting. I created this piece before I knew the benefits of underpainting. Regardless, I still like this one and enjoyed the process.
apr 2024
Amber Roads
Artwork Description
'Amber roads,' tranquil countryside landscape captures the beauty of a rural setting through its use of bold colours, smoothy mixed together with a dynamic range of brushstrokes that add depth and life to the painting. The painting displays a soft dirt path winding through a field of tall grass, leading your eye to the horizons, where thick trees are dotted underneath a blue-sky scattered with fluffy clouds. The reddish hues of the dirt beautifully compliment the greenery used within the painting.
This piece was created with gouache. I started simply layering the colours, blocking out the skies and clouds first, adding depth to them once the layers dried, then blending the colours together neatly. Afterwards, I then moved forwards, letting each layer dry (essential with my technique in gouache). I really loved the colours in this piece, I wanted to bring the warmth of a late summers day to life.
mar 2024
Through the Countryside
Artwork Description
This piece was inspired by the Scottish countryside and the beauty of the highlands. It was brought to life by Gouache. I started with a fine sketch, then began painting the background and blocking out the colours, after letting it dry, I layered it with more colours in hopes to bring different textures while also being cleanly placed. The final touches were added with white gouache to add the specks on the trees.
may 2024
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