Beth’s figurative paintings address the connections, or lack-there-of, that we have with each other and the world around us. They are about isolation, about barriers, about the way we inhabit our own bodies, how we keep ourselves from others, and how we handle the complexity and deterioration of our flesh and relationships.

Through her work, she explores the tension of wanting to be known, while maintaining tight boundaries on our intimate selves and the balance between comfort in public and security in our own interiors.

Beth explores the choices we make out of fear, which often prevent us from diving deeper into ourselves and our relationships with others. Her latest series of paintings delves into the theme of divorce—not only in the literal sense but also in the emotional separations we experience within ourselves and in our relationships.

Rhodes is fascinated by the ways people can display openness and vulnerability with their bodies in some settings, yet still hide parts of themselves emotionally. Her paintings focus on the human form and body language, playing with the tension between vulnerability and privacy. The figures in her works remain apart, separated by distance, umbrellas, lines, and towels, despite the subtle invitation for intimacy.

A key element in Rhodes' work is movement. She contrasts fluid motion, such as windblown hair and billowing umbrellas, with static elements like strong horizontal lines and triangles. This contrast symbolizes the emotional stagnation and lack of relational intimacy that often arise from society’s preference for toxic masculinity over a more cooperative, feminine approach to relationships.

Through her paintings, Rhodes aims to evoke feelings of empowerment, movement, and freedom. She also hopes viewers will sense both the strength of the figures and the anonymity that persists between them.