Last Page - Mark Bettis

Changing of the Seasons, 18” x 18”, oil and cold wax medium on wood panel - By Mark Bettis, Asheville

Mark Bettis rarely heads into his River Arts District studio with a concrete idea in mind of what he’ll create. But that doesn’t mean he paints without a plan. First, he uses oils and cold wax medium to build up multiple thick layers on wood, forming fields of color and texture. Then, he revisits the areas he’s carefully constructed, scraping back the layers to reveal the beauty beneath and his direction. “I work organically,” he says. “I let it evolve.” Bettis often gravitates toward fall colors. In Changing of the Seasons, he merges abstract with landscape to capture autumn in WNC, his home for the past 12 years. Shortly after relocating to Asheville from Florida, he found the RAD and said, “I want to be a part of this!” Located at 123 Roberts Street, Mark Bettis Studio & Gallery is also a showroom for five other local artists. markbettisgallery.com