BIOGRAPHY

Betsy  Bauer's paintings focus on the physicality of painting and the energy involved in mark making.  She is as much concerned with the application of paint as she is with removing paint and building up the layers into a rich patina.  The paintings explore line, movement and depth of space within the canvas. Her inspiration comes from her travels, ancient calligraphic manuscripts, the natural world, especially the weather patterns and wonderful light in the landscape in Santa Fe, NM, where she has lived for the past three decades.

Bauer's paintings and prints are held in museum, corporate and private collections around the world.  Since 1985, she has had numerous solo and group shows throughout the United States and Europe.  Her art hangs in the U.S. Embassies in Sarajevo and La Paz, Bolivia and in many public collections, including the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC and the Johnson Art Museum at Cornell University in NY. Her works are in private and corporate collections throughout the US, including American Express, New York, NY; Fidelity Investments, Boston, MA; Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, CA and Scottsdale, AZ; General Electric, Fairfield, CT and Sloan Kettering Memorial Cancer Center, New York, NY. The Santa Fe Opera has also featured her work on posters and notecards since 1999. 

ARTIST STATEMENT “Serenity Stones Series” 2026

Over the last year, my studio has transformed into a sanctuary filled with the quiet, grounding presence of paint and stones. I have found myself pulled into a deeply immersive new direction—a multi-medium series dedicated to exploring the simple, silent being of stones.

In spending time with them, I am continually struck by their resilient strength and individual uniqueness. In the oil paintings, I capture their stillness and physical weight, rendering everything from deep earth tones to bright white mineral facets that trap the light.

In the accompanying black-and-white monoprints, my focus shifts to pure energy. I am excited about the process and love how deeply I feel at home creatively with ink and paper. Here, the solid, heavy presence of the stone is juxtaposed with the urgent immediacy of the brushstroke and the tactile sensitivity of the printmaking paper.

This series reflects on resilience, stillness, and the timeless juxtaposition of permanence and the passage of time. The oil paintings are mounted on birch panels and floated inside custom-designed, hand-painted white frames. By floating the paper panel, the contrast between the heavy stone forms and their surroundings is heightened. Working with the delicate layers of oil paint or the crisp, high-contrast black ink on paper of the monoprints, these pieces celebrate a dual passion: the exquisite softness of paper meeting the solid strength of stone. 

Santa Fe, NM 2026