Bethann Moran-Handzlik

Wisconsin born painter, Bethann Moran-Handzlik paints from direct observation and memory, in all seasons outdoor, and in the studio from memory. In her words, “there are these phenomenally poetic surprises everywhere; I am trying to tune my antenna with nuance so that I won’t lose the capacity to see them, even if briefly. My hope is to be present in the moment painting, to feel the vitality of life all around me and to evoke and honor it within the painting. I love being outside making a painting”.

Bethann earned an MFA from University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and she enjoyed a long teaching career, before returning to painting full time. She was invited to be a visiting artist at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, awarded a Hudson River Fellowship, Grand Central Atelier, NY, and a residency at La Napoule Art Foundation, France among others. Her work has been featured in Fine Art Connoisseur and Plein Air Magazine, she won best of show at the Door County Plein Air Event and her work is widely collected in private and public collections. Notably in 2025 her work earned directors choice award at the New Salem Museum of Art in Massachusetts. Her work is known for her sensitivity to color and her connection to the natural world. Bethann has a long connection to the beauty of Door County and has returned to paint on location over the past 30 years. Bethann is married to the poet Patrick Moran, who also helps build her custom frames and together they have three children and a sweet pooch, Windzy.