June's Featured Artist Spotlight: Beth Tockey Williams

The Freedman Arts District is honored to welcome acclaimed landscape artist Beth Tockey Williams as our June Featured Artist at the Historic Arsenal Gallery in Beaufort.

For Beth, painting is about more than capturing a scene, it is about preserving a moment. The fleeting glow of sunlight across a marsh, the subtle shifts of color in a Lowcountry sky, and the quiet beauty of the sea islands all become subjects of careful observation and artistic interpretation. Her work invites viewers to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with the natural world.

A Beaufort resident, Beth is best known for her luminous pastel landscapes that celebrate the unique character of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Working primarily in pastel, she creates richly layered compositions that convey atmosphere, movement, and light with remarkable sensitivity. Many of her paintings begin outdoors, painted en plein air, where she studies the ever-changing relationship between sky, water, land, and weather before developing finished works in the studio.

Beth's artistic journey is grounded in both education and experience. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Texas Tech University and spent many years teaching art in schools and museums throughout the United States and abroad before transitioning to full-time painting in 2009.

Her accomplishments have earned national recognition. Beth was named to the prestigious IAPS Master Circle in 2021 and is a Signature Member of both the Pastel Society of America and the Pastel Society of South Carolina. Her work has been featured in numerous juried exhibitions, including the renowned Piccolo Spoleto Juried Exhibition in Charleston, and has appeared in publications such as Pastel Journal, Charleston Living, Charleston Style & Design Magazine, Charleston Art Mag, One King's Lane, Garden & Gun Jubilee, and Parks and Travel Magazine.

In 2019, Beth was selected as an Artist in Residence at Dry Tortugas National Park, an experience that further strengthened her commitment to documenting and celebrating the beauty of natural landscapes through art.

While she is widely recognized for her mastery of pastel, Beth is currently expanding her practice into oil painting, bringing the same atmospheric quality and attention to light that have become hallmarks of her work.

At the Freedman Arts District, we believe art helps people connect to place, history, and one another. Beth's paintings embody that philosophy. Her work captures the spirit of the Lowcountry while reminding us of the beauty that surrounds us every day.

We invite you to visit the Historic Arsenal Gallery and experience Beth Tockey Williams' remarkable collection in person. Whether you are an avid collector, a fellow artist, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of the Lowcountry, her work is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Visit the Gallery

Freedman Arts District GalleryHistoric Arsenal 713 Craven Street, Beaufort, SC

Gallery Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Learn more about Beth's work at bethwilliamspastels.squarespace.com or follow her on Instagram at @bethewilliamsart.

Join us in celebrating Beth Tockey Williams, our Featured Artist, and discover the beauty of the Lowcountry through her eyes.