Julia Bettis

MFA ’23 Fine Arts Low-Residency

The purpose of my work is that it be intentional and believable, without creating exact copies of the subject matter that I use as a reference. Gathering inspiration from direct communion with nature in the mountains where I live, my works often include flowers and plants that I have encountered as I explore the vast wilderness. These experiences prompted me to do more research on plant use as food and medicine, which has become an inspiration for continued interest in botanical sources as a reference. For me, flowers can become a metaphor and tell a story that finds a way into my paintings. My body of artworks are created with the hope that they may inspire others, becoming a catalyst for a deeper personal connection to the natural world and how we think about the temporal and spatial aspects of flowers and plants. 



Julia Bettis is a 2D visual artist specializing in oil painting. Bettis’s floral images are her way of providing narratives about the spatial and temporal lives of plants. Bettis has been included in several pop-up art shows with the Infamous Art Collective in Buckhannon, WV from 2020-Present. Bettis is currently an MFA candidate at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Bettis was born in Glenville, West Virginia and currently lives and works in West Virginia. 

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