Beth Chandler Petri is a painter who does not wield a brush—she lets the paint speak through her hands, guiding her in unexpected ways. For as long as she can remember, she has seen faces in the chaos of the world—hidden in the grain of wood, the shape of clouds, the dance of light on a surface. It is this instinct, this pull toward finding what is already there, that compels her to create.

She begins with layers—strokes of color applied with palms, fingertips, the pressure of touch—then steps back, waiting to see what emerges. The energy of the moment, the resistance and release of paint against skin, all drive the rhythm of her work. The images whisper themselves into existence, forming beyond her control, as if they have been waiting for her to uncover them.

Beth’s latest work transcends the boundaries of single canvases, expanding into a space where multiple pieces merge into larger compositions. This multi-canvas approach not only allows her to work on a grander scale but also plays with the space between the images—the negative space, the unseen connections. She invites the viewer into this world, not to observe passively but to participate, to find their own meaning in the shifting faces and figures. Often, they see shapes she never intended—ghosts of presence that add themselves to the work without her knowing.

Her art is a conversation between energy, color, and touch—a raw and instinctual exploration of what is hidden beneath the surface, waiting to be found.