I work from namely from direct observation, meaning I stand within or before my subject. It is challenging taking large canvases on site into the landscape but I work this way to experience the subject first hand. Sometimes a larger painting will take two weeks or more and sometimes I need to return to the same spot the following year to finish.  Typically, I also bring the painting into the studio and continue to work on it from memory.  The experience of the natural world is always woven into the work I am attempting to make.  I am constantly balancing what the brush work expresses, my imagination and my perception of the subject.  Sometimes while painting,  language leaves me.  Sometimes I feel like I disappear. Eventually a mosquito will bite me or the bitter cold is too much and I return.   When  the painting is complete the viewer can re-see, re-experience what I saw; and then be drawn repeatedly into a contemplation of everything within the painting and within themselves.  My hope is that the paintings will resonate with people and in some way will help them deepen their appreciation for the natural world and assists them on their path toward joy.

 

My work has garnered awards and is held in private, corporate and public collections. My paintings have been exhibited in regional, national exhibitions including plein air events, galleries and museums. I was awarded a Hudson River Fellowship/ Grand Central Atelier in 2014 and a La Napoule artist residency in France in 2016. I have painted during our families travels to Scotland and had the privilege to do master copy works at the National Gallery Scotland, National Gallery London. My work is represented by Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, Wi and Edgewood Orchard Gallery, Door County, Wi.   I earned a BA from St. Norbert College and an  MFA from University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, where I was mentored by John Colt and Tom Uttech among others.  I enjoyed a long teaching career and have taught at University Wisconsin Milwaukee, University Wisconsin Whitewater, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs NY, among others and I continue to enjoy teaching workshops.  

 

I am married to the poet Patrick J. Moran and we have three wonderful children.  

 

If you are an admirer,  a seasoned or first time collector I am happy to discuss the paintings with you and make the process pleasurable. I invite you to follow me on Instagram @pasmeche and sign up for my biannual newsletter.  Take good care and thank you for your interest, Bethann

 

Links are in bold

2027

• Invited Ballards Fine Art, The Unfolding Garden, April, Sheridan, Wyoming

2026

• New Salem Museum, New Salem, MA The Grey Tongue of the River May-Augsut Finalists Exhibition
• Cover of Plein Air Magazine and article Dec/Jan Issue
• Willow Invitational, South Newfane, Vermont August
• Summer in Wisconsin Exhibition Tory Folliard Gallery 
• True to Life, Tory Folliard Gallery, group show, Milwaukee Wi February-March
• Featured Artist Edgewood Orchard Gallery, Door County Wis May
• Zion Painting Retreat, invited to demonstrate, October 2026
• Peninsula School of Art, Door County plein air workshop Sept 2026
• Door County Plein Air Festival, Invitational, Door County Wi
• Modern Impressionist Magazine, publication February

2025

• Awarded Directors Choice, Michael Kline New Salem Museum & Atelier Finalist Exhibition, New Salem, MA
• New Salem Museum & Fine Art Atelier, Finalist Exhibition May-June New Salem, MA
• Published in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine
• Invited Door County Plein Air Festival, Door County WI July 
• On Nature, Tory Folliard Gallery, group show Milwaukee, WI June -July 
• New selection of work Edgewood Orchard Gallery, Door County WI 
• Invited to give a demonstration to Plein Air Magazine Fall Color Week

2024 

• Solo Show “In The Open Air”, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
• Exhibition Wisconsin Biennial, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI 
• Exhibiting Edgewood Orchard Galleries, Door County, WI
• Podcast Invited guest Creative Contemplation Podcast  
• Scotland / Taught Semester Field Drawing, WI in Scotland Program, University WI, River Falls, WI
• Presented lecture Peninsula School of Art, Door County, WI 
• Taught Workshop Peninsula School of Art, Door County, WI 
• Invited to participate Door County Plein Air Event, Door County, WI 
• Permanent Collection Northwestern Mutual, Milwaukee, WI
• Press: Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, December issue Tabletops article

2023

• Press: Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, “Five To Watch” 
• Anniversary Exhibit Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
• Exhibit Edgewood Orchard Gallery, Door County, WI
• Podcast Invited guest Jeff Hein’s Podcast Undraped Artist
• Podcast Invited Guest Podcast Conversations with Kevin
• National Award Plein Air Salon First Place Overall and Best Outdoor Still-life
• Plein Air 2^nd place Lake Front Cedarburg Plein Air, Cedarburg, WI 
• Awarded Best in Show Door County Plein Air Festival, Door County, WI 
• Taught Workshop Peninsula School of Art, Door County, WI
• Invitational Vining Gallery, IN
• Invitational Paul Scott Gallery AZ 
• Exhibition Miller Art Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI

2022   

• Wisconsin Biennial, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI  
• Invitational Lily Pad West Gallery Forward Exhibition, Milwaukee, WI 
• Exhibited Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
• Exhibited Edgewood Orchard Galleries, Door County, WI
• Press: Madison Essentials, Article Chris Gargon, Dane County, WI digital
• Invited 3 person “Between Stone and Star”, Monroe Cultural Arts Center, Monroe, WI  
• Invited “The Land Owns You”, University North Park, Chicago, Il 
• Invited University of La Crosse, Close Observation: Art & Science in the Anthropocene, La Crosse, WI
• Invited Broadcasting System Wisconsin Garden Expo. Demonstration Madison WI
• National Award Plein Air Salon best outdoor still life
• Plein Air Event award 2nd place lakefront Paint Cedarburg, WI
• Publication: Realism Today,  The Pleasure of a Pair  

2021   

• Invitational  Williams Fine Art, Wenham, Massachusetts
• Invitational Vining Gallery, Indianapolis, IN
• Invited Presenter P.B.S. Public Broadcasting System Wisconsin Garden Expo. Madison, WI
• Best in Show Midwest Seasons Exhibition CVA Center Wausau, WI 
• Miller Art Museum, Sister Bay, WI
• Invited Gunzel Gallery, Door County, WI
• Invited Fort Atkinson Club Fanny Highsmith Memorial Exhibit, Fort Atkinson, WI 
• Plein Air Event 2^nd place overall & 2^nd place quick paint Jefferson, WI 
• Plein Air Event Best of Historic Cedarburg, Paint Cedarburg, WI
• Publication: Outdoor Painter Shallow Depth Painting 

2020   

• Wisconsin Biennial, Museum of Wisconsin Art awarded 3^rd place, West Bend, WI
• National Award Plein Air Salon / Plein Air Magazine 
• National Award Oil Painters of America Honorable Mention
• Plein Air Event: 4^th place Mineral Point, WI
• University Teaching Excellence Academic Staff, University WI, Whitewater, WI  
• UWW Collaboration Award: “The Bach Suites; the Aural and the Visual”, Whitewater, WI
• Invited Gunzel Gallery, Door County, WI
• Trout Museum of Art, Secura Exhibition, Appleton, WI 
• Publication: Realism Today: Nature Morte, To Paint a Dead Bird  
• Publication: Fine Art Connoisseur: Community Garden, New Year’s Day; a painting
• Press: Plein Air Magazine Icy Inspiration

 2019  

• Invited James Watrous Gallery, “Up Rooted Plants in a Changing Climate”, Madison, WI
• Grant Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters, Madison, WI 
• National Award Plein Air Salon / Plein Air Magazine 
• Invited Presenter Public Broadcasting System WI Garden Expo. Madison, WI 
• Fort Atkinson Club FACT Lecture Series, Fort Atkinson, WI
• Plein Air Event two awards Jefferson, WI
• Plein Air Event Best of Show + second place quick paint West Bend, WI 
• Plein Air Event Best of show New Berlin, WI 
• Awarded  Women in Leadership University of Wisconsin Whitewater, WI

2018   

• Invitational 11^th Street Gallery La Napoule Alumni, New York, NY
• Teaching Excellence Award UW Whitewater, Whitewater, WI 
• Denver Area Schools, Denver, CO exhibit in underserved school, Denver, CO
• Invited Crossman Gallery “Reading Materials” UW Whitewater, WI
• Invited “Landscape Beyond Borders”, UW Whitewater, WI
• Invited Pyle Center, Madison, WI 

2017

• Invited lecture Aldo Leopold Conference; “The Urban Rural Divide”, Aldo Leopold Foundation, Baraboo, WI
• Invited Black Point Estate, Lake Geneva plein air Best in Show, Lake Geneva, WI
• Award Women in Leadership, UW Whitewater, Whitewater, WI
• Juror Mary Hoard Art Show, Fort Atkinson, WI 
• Faculty Show, Crossman Gallery, University of Wisconsin Whitewater, WI
• “Direct Observation”, Crossman Gallery, Whitewater, WI  
• “Ekphrastic & Copied”, Fiskum Gallery, Whitewater, WI

2016   

• Wisconsin Biennial, 3^rd place award Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI 
• International Award: La Napoule Artist Foundation Artist Residency, La Napoule-Mandelieu, France 
• Spencer Gallery, La Napoule France, Chateau Henry Clews, France
• Invited, “Land Ethic”, Aldo Leopold Foundation, UW Baraboo, WI
• Invited Large Prints, “Post Kiki Smith Dan Weldon”, Crossman Gallery, UWW, Whitewater, WI
• Permanent Collection Concordia College, Milwaukee WI

 2015

• Grant “Master Copies”, UW Whitewater, Whitewater, WI
• Book cover, “There Are Things We Live Among”, Grayson Books Press, CT
• Faculty Exhibition Crossman Gallery, UW Whitewater, Whitewater, WI
• Invited James May Gallery, Algoma, WI
• Permanent Collection, Fort Atkinson Club, Fort Atkinson, WI
• Crossman Gallery, “Everything in the Show”, UW Whitewater, WI
• Permanent Collection West Bend Insurance, West Bend, WI

2014 

• National Award, Hudson River Fellowship, Grand Central Atelier, NY 
• Wisconsin Biennial, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI
• Wustum Museum, Watercolor Exhibition, Racine, WI
• Jackson Historical Society, Hudson River Fellowship, Jackson, NH
• Permanent Collection University of Wisconsin Whitewater, WI

Additional Selected Exhibitions 

Jingshi Gallery, “Side by Side”, Beijing Normal University, Beijing China

“Women Faculty: Women Students”, Commonwealth Gallery, Madison, WI

“Scar Tissue”, Madison, WI

James Watrous Gallery, Overture Center, Inaugural /Anniversary Exhibition, Madison, WI 

Skidmore College, “Tabula Rasa, The Bake King & the Artist Life”, Lecture/Exhibit Saratoga Springs, NY 

Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI (2003 -1999)

Walkers Point Center for the Arts, “Earth, Air, Water, Fire”, Milwaukee, WI

Solo Show, Wisconsin Academy Gallery, James Watrous, “Thirteen Ways of Looking” Madison, WI 

Provincetown Art Museum, Province Town, MA  

Shick Art Gallery, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 

Lake George Arts Project, Lake George, N.Y.  

The Enigmatic Landscape, Cardinal Stritch Inaugural Show, Milwaukee, WI 

Lawton Gallery, U.W. Green Bay, Green Bay, WI 

Concordia University Gallery, Mequon, WI

Gallery 84, Ivan Karp juried W. 57th New York, NY

Cardinal Stritch College Milwaukee, WI 

U.W. Sheboygan Art Gallery, Sheboygan, WI 

Galleria Del Conte, Milwaukee, WI 

New Mexico Art League, Albuquerque, NM  

Lewis Art Gallery, Jackson, MS  

Invented Landscape, Cudahy Gallery, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI  

 

TEACHING Assistant Professor/Visiting Artist Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Assistant Professor Millsap’s College Jackson MS, academic staff, University of Wisconsin Waukesha, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin Whitewater, University of Wisconsin, River Falls/ Wisconsin in Scotland 

 

EDUCATION

BA St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI, Graphic Design minor Philosophy  

MFA University Wisconsin Milwaukee, Painting & Drawing   Mentors: John Colt and Tom Uttech

 

SELECTED SERVICE *Provided varied abilities workshop St. Coletta Community, Jefferson WI, *Mentor /Research Students, *Initiated Community Based Program for older adults at Fairhaven Senior Residence  *Schuh Committee Member JIADUO LI , ZONG GU, GUISHENG WANG, WEI ZHEN, LIN XIA JIANG *Arts Immersion Day, *Hosted Occupational Therapy Group arts studio*Diversity Forum Project  “Drawing Awareness: Childhood Poverty WI” , *Coordination/Exhibition 500 hand drawn ribbons to honor Syrian People, UWW,  *Diversity Forum: Diverse Perspectives, School Workshops,  Exhibition In Memory: honored 10 young men who were black &who died at the hands of a police officer. *Installation “Woe-da Clouds: Climate Change” installation *Invited Juror for exhibitions.