Painting Portfolio | Beth McKay

Wallflower

Wallflower is a self-portrait created in the aftermath of my divorce during a period of healing, self-discovery, and learning how to navigate life as a single mother. The figure stitches her own heart, symbolizing the difficult but necessary work of repairing emotional wounds without relying on anyone else to do it for her.

Her dress blends into the wallpaper behind her, reflecting feelings of invisibility, loss of identity, and the tendency to disappear into the background while simply trying to survive. As she begins to emerge from the wall, the painting becomes a reflection of resilience, self-reclamation, and the gradual process of stepping back into the world with a renewed sense of self.
24 x 30
Oil on canvas
$1,000

Organs

Created during the collapse of my marriage, Organs explores the emotional process of survival, release, and self-reclamation. Inspired by the song “Organs” by Of Monsters and Men, the painting depicts a female figure intentionally removing parts of herself—lungs, tongue, and brain—symbolizing suffocation, silence, and relentless overthinking.

Though much has been stripped away, her heart remains untouched, serving as a quiet symbol of hope and resilience. Winding flowers and vines represent the slow, often contradictory process of healing, growth, and learning how to breathe again after loss.
30 x 38
Oil on canvas
$1,000

Underneath

Created after the sudden loss of my father, Underneath explores grief, transformation, and the enduring connections that remain after death. The painting depicts a curled self-portrait suspended beneath the earth, surrounded by roots that symbolize ancestry, memory, and the invisible bonds that continue beyond loss.

The ambiguity of whether the figure nourishes the tree or the tree grows around her reflects the dual nature of grief—feeling both buried and becoming at the same time. Rather than portraying death as an ending, Underneath considers grief as a process of transformation, where pain and growth coexist and new life emerges from what has been lost.
36 x 36
Oil on Canvas.
$1,000

Crooked

Crooked is based on an actual X-ray of my spine, taken when I was diagnosed with scoliosis. Created in 2025, this painting reflects the ongoing physical pain that has accompanied years of emotional strain. While much of this series explores grief, loss, and survival through metaphor, Crooked is grounded in the literal reality of the body.
Despite seeking treatment, I continue to experience severe pain associated with scoliosis. The spine is rendered honestly, without correction, becoming a record of endurance rather than something to be fixed.
Morning glories grow along the curve of the bone—flowers that open each day and close by night. They symbolize persistence, renewal, and the choice to begin again, even when pain remains. The body does not straighten; instead, it continues to live, adapt, and bloom as it is.
Crooked acknowledges that healing does not always mean relief. It affirms that the body remembers what the mind survives, and that growth can exist alongside chronic pain.
18 x 24
oil on canvas
SOLD

Poppy Heart

Poppy Heart was created during a period marked by both grief and vulnerability. Inspired by the loss of my father and a relationship that ended as unexpectedly as it began, the painting explores the complicated intersections of love, loss, and survival.

The blooming heart is filled with poppies—flowers associated with both remembrance and addiction—symbolizing the tension between beauty and danger, hope and heartbreak. Rather than focusing on loss alone, Poppy Heart is a reflection on resilience, honoring those affected by addiction while recognizing the ways healing can emerge from disappointment and grief.
12 x 16
Oil on Canvas
SOLD

Lungs- Just Breathe

Created alongside Organs, Lungs focuses on the experience of restricted breath. During my marriage and in the aftermath of divorce, anxiety made breathing feel difficult—physically and emotionally—especially as I navigated life as a new single mother. The lungs branch like trees and are dotted with cherry blossoms, symbolizing the fleeting nature of peace and relief. Lungs reflects anxiety, endurance, and the quiet act of survival—sometimes beginning with something as simple as remembering to breathe.

11 x 14
oil on canvas
$300

Ribcage

Ribcage was painted during a period of emotional exhaustion and transition. An exposed ribcage houses both flowers and dandelions, symbolizing the coexistence of vulnerability, resilience, and the quiet persistence required to survive difficult seasons.

A small bird rests where breath should be, serving as a reminder that even in moments of collapse, life and hope remain. The painting reflects the tension between pain and growth, marking a turning point in the journey toward healing and self-preservation.
12 x 12
oil on canvas
$300