Meet the artist behind My Timeless Timber, a nature-inspired painter transforming fallen tree branches into one-of-a-kind works of art! Growing up in Fort Myers, Florida, she spent her childhood sketching from the treetops—an early hint at the organic connection that now defines her creative process.
What began as a playful idea with her husband evolved into a full-time artistic pursuit rooted in environmental consciousness and deep personal reflection. Her art is not only a visual celebration of the natural world but also a heartfelt invitation to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the earth.
Bethany frequently uses the Natural Acrylik Paints - Heavy Body & the Natural Acrylik Paints - Fluid in her work! Keep reading to learn more about Bethany!
Thanks so much, Bethany, for taking the time to speak with us about your artistic journey!
Can you share where you grew up and how this place influenced you and your
art?
I grew up in Fort Myers, Florida. My childhood home had a few trees in the yard
and I often would find myself climbing the trees and hanging out in the canopy,
reading a book, writing or drawing. I suppose looking back at my time drawing up
in the trees and having time to cultivate my imagination could have played a part
in my decision later to paint on fallen tree branches.
When did you first become interested in painting and did you have any early
influences?
I have always gravitated towards art and creating. My first memories of this are
as early as pre-school, I would often decide to skip recess so that I could stay
inside and paint or draw. In my bedroom growing up, I had set up an art corner to
work at. I would light a candle just like I do now and start drawing. I don’t feel
that I had any early influences, just a desire to create.
Natural Earth Paints have been an exciting new addition to my Art and Studio. I was always on the search for a non-toxic, eco-friendly paint that aligned with my eco-conscious ideals, yet still held up to the quality of high-end paints. After years of searching I luckily discovered Natural Earth Paints, and they are exactly what I was hoping to find. They are so vibrant, smooth, and easy to work with. They have a range of paints available that you can mix yourself, with their Natural Earth Pigments. As well as their Natural Acrylik Paints, in fluid and heavy body. Personally, I like to use a combination of them all. I am happy that I found them, and I highly recommend them.
How did you come to paint on natural pieces of wood?
I was starting to take art more seriously around 24 years old and really wanted to
cultivate a unique idea, that I could hopefully one day make a living from. From there,
my husband and I were constantly throwing out potential ideas to one another until one day, we had the idea for My Timeless Timber. Our original idea was, creating tiny
paintings that people could wear as jewelry and almost immediately we both thought of using slices of wood from fallen tree branches as the canvas for it. The reason we
thought of it so quickly is because we would often go on hikes/ camping trips and collect already fallen branches that we would bring home and create something with to
commemorate our adventure. We already had a pile of these branches stacked up in
the corner of our living room and it seemed like a perfect fit. The idea has evolved since then. I am focused more on the art and creating timeless pieces rather than the jewelry aspect of it but will continue to work on already fallen tree branches/ upcycled wood as my canvas.
What does a typical “day in the life” look like in your studio?
My typical day looks a lot different than most. My work hours are usually in the late
afternoons throughout the evenings, because those are the hours my husband typically works. Early parts of the day is my time to be outside, exercise, cook lunch, have tea and hang out with my boys(husband and 2 catmates) Then as soon as soon as he leaves for the day I head into my studio, turn on some classical music and begin my day. I always tackle my agenda by starting with whatever I would like to the least so that as the night comes in, I can begin painting. I do my best creative work at night.
How do you approach a new project or piece? Can you walk us through your
creative process?
When I am approaching a new project, I like to first reflect on what I am feeling in that
moment. What is my vibe? I will ask what kind of nature scene I am most resonating
with. Once I have a general mood and vibe I will look through books and images online
that I feel match that mood and once I have seen a few that I really like, I will close the
book or close the image and just play around in my mind for a bit. I will visualize
different compositions, different colors and elements. I often will be staring at the wood piece I plan to paint while I do this visualizing and once, I have come to an idea or vision for the piece I will start. I don’t typically draw anything out first. I like to just start and I am always flexible with the painting. Even though I have an idea to start, I am always open to changing directions if the painting starts leading me somewhere else. I like to flow as much as possible with the process.
Who are your biggest artistic influences, and how have they shaped your work?
By far my biggest artistic influence is Bob Ross! I would watch his episodes on repeat. I still do while I paint for the good vibes. There are many ways that he helped shape my
work from the fundamentals/techniques to how to strengthen my creativity and enjoy the process.
Can you describe your artistic evolution over the years? How has your style or
medium changed?
My artistic journey has evolved slowly over time. As a child I always had an inclination
for creating, but I wouldn’t say I took it seriously. It was just fun for me and something I
always would come back to. When I was in college for psychology, I would often think,
this is so boring and I would much rather be majoring in art, but I was never willing to
take the leap and switch majors, so I graduated with a Psych. Degree that I didn’t want
to use. I ended up working in Hospitality industry with my husband for a while and it was while working there that I was constantly thinking about and creating art. After a few years, is when My Timeless Timber was born. I started creating as many Timbers as I could and we attended as many art shows as we could. After a couple of years of
attending shows and working in the restaurant, I took the leap and started creating art
and attending shows full time. When Covid hit, the shows were no longer an option, so I started to pivot to social media in order to shie my work and sell my Timbers, and after a couple of years my account started to see real growth.
What has been your biggest challenge as an artist, and how have you overcome
it?
My biggest challenge as an artist was really the choice to become an artist, not just as a hobby but building my life around art and not knowing where that would lead me. There were many times over the years where times were tough and money was low, and I thought I should stop pursuing this dream, just go back to the workforce where it is safe money and reliable, but there was always a voice inside me and still is telling me to keep going, keep putting in the hours, keep working on my craft and don’t look back.
What advice do you have for artists who want to incorporate environmental
elements in their art careers but are unsure where to start?
I would say I love that you are considering that and that there are endless possibilities
and ways to incorporate natural elements. I would ask you to think about the elements
of nature you gravitate towards the most. Do you have a special place in nature that you would like to use elements and energies from? If you connect with water and have a lake or a beach that you enjoy, you could scoop up a glass of the water from there and use that as the cleaning water for your brushes while you paint, or for mixing with your paints. You could also collect and use rain water in the same way. If you connect with the earth, maybe you would want to mix some soil or sand with your paint. Maybe you simply want to leave your paintings to charge in the sun once they are finished, or paint on shells, stones or leaves. You can create a mosaic or balance stones that you can take a photo of for art prints and then let nature take it back. These are just a few ideas, but I would urge you to connect with yourself and see what elements and ideas deeply resonate with you.
Where can our audience see more of your work and support you?
You can find my work on Instagram (@mytimelesstimber_art), TikTok (@mytimelesstimber) and Threads. You can also soon find me on YouTube (@mytimelesstimber), where I plan to focus more of my energy towards soon with some tutorials and quiet days in the studio. Thank you so much if you have read all the way to this point. I really appreciate you.
