Serena Bates
Over 40 years ago, Serena Bates started her journey of exploration and interpretation of the world around her through art. Beginning probably at the age of 8 or 9, she started with pencil and paper and went on to study tradition figure painting and anatomy at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Over the years she has explored many mediums including charcoal, pastel, oil, and acrylic paint to name a few, but when she discovered clay, she went over to the "Dark Side" as she likes to say. She had finally found her soul mate and companion saying "When you find a material that you can work with tirelessly for hours and think minutes have passed, and your excitement still bubbles over when you leave the studio for the day, you have found home." The artist describes herself as a story teller with an affinity for portraits and animals. "Life's Stories plant seeds in my mind, take shape in my soul, and are born through my sculptures. "
Clay, Bronze and Stone are her mediums of choice. Being non-traditional in her approach, she does not take measurements, but instead relies on her eye and sense of observation to interpret a subject. Trusting intuition and a connection to the subject are more important to her than static measurements. This approach breathes life into her work and produces what she calls a "wabu-sabi" affect, the Japanese term that literally means the beauty found in imperfection or "imperfectly perfect".
Serena has exhibited in nationally known exhibitions and galleries across the United States and Canada. She has won many prestigious awards and honors during her career from the American Artists Professional League, Allied Artists of America, the Salmagundi Club, the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Club, the Academic Artist Association, Mystic Museum of Art to name only a few. The artist is also a member of the American Society of Marine Artists, Artists for Conservation, Allied Artists of America, American Artists Professional League and Salmagundi Club.
Awards:
113TH ANNUAL THUMB BOX EXHIBITION
Nov 23, 2021 - Jan 1, 2022
Salmagundi Club
New York, NY
Juror:
Award: Alphaeus P. Cole Memorial Award, “Star Gazer”
Society of CT Sculptors
Nov 19 - Jan 2, 2022
Lyme Art Association
Old Lyme, CT
Juror: Norman Legasse
Award: 3rd Prize “Gemini”
93RD Annual Grand National Exhibition of the American Artists Professional League
Nov 8 - Nov 19, 2021
Salmagundi Club
New York, NY
Juror: Peter Trippi, editor-in-chief of Fine Art Connoisseur
Award: "Miss Independence", Barbara Newington Award for Traditional Sculpture
Audubon Artists 79TH Annual Exhibition
Oct 25 - Nov 5, 2021
Salmagundi Club
New York, NY
Juror: Michael Cagno, Executive director and Curator of Noyes Museum of Art, NJ
Award: "Upward Dog", Marion & Gill Roller Memorial Award
Connected Land and Sea
National Exhibition
June 17 – July 18, 2021
Copley Society of Boston
Boston, MS
Juror: Don Demers
Award: Second Place– “Leviathan”
Seaport, Small Works
May 6 – Aug 29, 2021
Copley Society of Boston
Boston, MS
Award: Excellence “Sir Penguin”
Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts CAFA + Members Exhibition
Feb 6 - March 20, 2021
Web: www.ctacedemy.org
Award: Third Place Award "I am Woman"
2020 Fall Annual Members Exhibition
Oct 20 - Nov 6, 2020
Salmagundi Club
New York, NY
Award: Philip Isenberg Memorial Award "Paradise Lost"
Land and Sea - Annual Elected Artists Exhibition
Oct 9 - Nov 19, 2020
Lyme Art Association
Old Lyme, CT
Juror: Robert Pilsbury
Third Prize: "Shoo Fly"
2020 Annual Members Exhibition
Aug 10 - Aug 28, 2020, 2020
Salmagundi Club
New York, NY
Juror: Edmond Rochat
Award: Mary Fitch Memorial Award "Padawan"
107th Annual Associate Member Juried Exhibition (online)
Allied Artists of America
May 18 - Aug 2021 - Aug 2022
Salmagundi Club
New York, NY
Award: Excellence in Sculpture -Elected Artist Status Awarded "Amun Ra"
2020 Annual Members Exhibition
May 20, 2020
Salmagundi Club
New York, NY
Juror: Claudia Seymour
Award: Philip Isenberg Memorial Award "Precipice"
Black & White Exhibition
Feb 3 - Feb 21, 2020
Salmagundi Club
New York, NY
Juror: Robert Pilsbury
Award: Margery Sorokava Award "Miss Independence"
Mystic Museum of Art Members Exhibition
Jan 30 - Feb 29, 2020
Mystic Museum of Art
Mystic, CT
Award: Award of Merit "Up Dog"
CLWAC 123rd Annual Open Exhibition
Jan 7 - Jan 31, 2020
National Arts Club
New York, NY
Jurors Norman Legassie & Marc Mellon
Award: Charlotte Dunwoodie Award for Contemporary
Realism "Miss Independence"
Annual Artists for Conservation International Juried Exhibition
September 26-29, 2019
Artists for Conservation, Vancouver, Canada
Award: Environmental Statement Award
"Survivor"
2019 ANNUAL MEMBERS EXHIBITION
Apr 28 - May 8, 2019
Salmagundi Club, NY, NY
Reception May 8, 6-9 pm.
"Enlightened", Award of Honor
110th Annual Thumbox Exhibition
Dec 3, 2018 - Jan 1, 2018
Salmagundi Club, 47 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003
Award: Philip Isenberg Memorial Award "Putin on the Ritz"
90th Grand National Exhibition, American Artists Professional League
Nov 11 - Nov 19, 2018
Salmagundi Club, 47 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003
Juror: Stephanie L Heidrich PhD, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Assistant Curator of American Painting & Sculpture, American Wing
Award: Marilyn Newmark Memorial Award "Precipice"
2018 ACGOW REGIONAL EXHIBITION
Artists Cooperative Gallery of Westerly, Westerly, RI
May 4 - May 27, 2018
Jurors: Michael Peery, Rhode Island School of Design Professor
“Leviathan” Katherine Forest Foundation Award
100TH DUXBURY ART ASSOCIATION SHOW
Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MS
Feb 4 - Apr 22, 2018
Jurors: Crystal Duell, Julie Beck, Tim Ian Mitchell, Cindy Vallino, Craig Bloodgood
“Survivor” Second Place Award for Sculpture
CLWAC 121ST ANNUAL OPEN EXHIBITION
CATHERINE LORILLARD WOLFE ART CLUB
Jan 9 - 26, 2018
Jurors: Gwen Pier, Director, National Sculpture Society
Elizabeth Allison, Technical Instructor, Art Students League, NYC
NATIONAL ARTS CLUB, New York, NY
“Amun Ra” Council of American Artist Societies Inc." for traditional sculpture
109th ANNUAL SALMAGUNDI THUMB BOX
Dec 8 - Dec 31, 2017
Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
"Hello Dolly" Alpheous P. Cole Award
SOCIETY OF CONNECTICUT SCULPTORS’ ANNUAL MEMBERS EXHIBITION
Oct 1 - Nov 29, 2017
LYME ART ASSOCIATION, Old Lyme, CT
"Head Over Heels" People's Choice Award
AMERICAN ARTISTS PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE 89TH ANNUAL GRAND NATIONAL EXHIBITION October 20 - December 29, 2017
Online Exhibition NEW YORK, NY
Jurors David A. Leffel, Sherrie McGraw, Jacqueline Kamin
“Survivor” Helen G. Oehler Memorial Award
SOUTH COUNTY ART ASSOCIATIONS ALL MEDIA II EXHIBITION
October 19 - November 11, 2017
SOUTH COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION
Juror Debra Lee Valeri
“Amun Ra” Honorable Mention
ALLIED ARTISTS OF AMERICA 104TH ANNUAL EXHIBITION
Aug 31- Sept 17, 2017
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, NEW YORK, NY
Juror Lisa Chalif, Curator Heckscher Museum of Art
“The Game of Cat and Mouse” The Lindsey Morris Memorial Award
SOUTH COUNTY ART ASSOCIATIONS ALL MEDIA EXHIBITION
June 8 - July 8, 2017
SOUTH COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION
Juror Kathy Hodge, Painter
“Survivor” 2nd Place
67th NATIONAL EXHIBIT OF CONTEMPORARY REALISM IN ART
May 1 – 19, 2016 Academic Artists Association
Juror: Robert Obrien AWS, NWS; John C. Traynor
VERNON COMMUNITY ART CENTER, Vernon, CT
“Amun Ra” Honorable Mention Award
WHAT SCARES YOU MOST March 4-26, 2017
DEBLOIS GALLERY, Newport, RI
“Gaia” Peoples’ Choice
NEW ENGLAND LANDSCAPE INVITATIONAL EXHIBITION
Sept 1 – Nov 5, 2016
LYME ART ASSOCIATION, Old Lyme, CT
Rapunzel” Peoples’ Choice Award
SOCIETY OF CT SCULPTORS’ ANNUAL MEMBERS EXHIBITION
Sept 1 – Nov 5, 2016
LYME ART ASSOCIATION, Old Lyme, CT
“Leviathan” 2nd Place
SOCIETY OF CT SCULPTORS SUMMR EXHIBITION EXHIBITION
Aug 1 – Aug 26, 2016
ACTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, Acton, CT
“Spirit” Members Choice Award, 3rd Place
CLWAC 119TH ANNUAL OPEN EXHIBITION
CATHERINE LORILLARD WOLFE ART CLUB
Dec 2 – 19, 2014 Jurors: Marilyn J. Friedman, Sculptor and Instructor, Art Students League, NY; Gwen Pier, Executive Director of National Sculpture Society. NATIONAL ARTS CLUB, New York, NY
“Bagheera” Leila Garden Sawyer Award for Sculpture
ON THE ROAD October 3 – November 15, 2015
COURTYARD GALLERY, Water St., Mystic, CT
“Go Ask Alice” Peoples’ Choice Award & 2nd Place
SOCIETY OF CT SCULPTORS 20TH ANNUAL SCULPTURE EXHIBITION
Aug 1 – Sept. 20, 2014
LYME ART ASSOCIATION, Old Lyme, CT
“Stubborn is as Stubborn Does” Members Memorial Award
SALMAGUNDI CLUB ANNUAL MEMBERS EXHIBITION
Aug 11 – Aug 29, 2014
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, New York, NY
“Dreamer” Members Memorial Award
THREE RIVERS COLLEGE ARTSHOW
April 12 – May 3, 2014
BEAN & LEAF, New London, CT
“Green Goddess” Best in Show
SINGULAR VISIONS EXHIBITION
August 26 – September 27, 2013
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, 47 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003
“Continuum” 2nd Place
ARTISTS COOPERATIVE GALLERY OF WESTERLY, WESTERLY, RI
May 2, 2012 “Stubborn is as Stubborn Does”
Katherine Forest Craft Foundation Award - 1st Prize
62nd NATIONAL EXHIBIT OF CONTEMPORARY REALISM IN ART
April 29, 2012 – June 14, 2012
Jurors – Jane Lund, Arthur Scholtz
Presented by the Academic Artists Association KAREN SPRAGUE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER, 1000 State St, Springfield, MA
“I am Woman” Carla Santa& Associates Award
ANNUAL ELECTED ARTISTS EXHIBITION
January 13 – February 18, 2012
MYSTIC MUSEUM OF ART, Mystic, CT
“Denizen of the Deep” Honorable Mention
SALMAGUNDI CLUB “103rd ANNUAL THUMB-BOX EXHIBITION”
Dec 7, 2011 – Jan 1, 2012
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, New York, NY
“Wave Rider” Honorable Mention
115TH ANNUAL EXHIBITION
CATHERNE LORILLARD WOLFE ART CLUB OCTOBER 4-28, 2011
NATIONAL ARTS CLUB, NY, NY JUROR: BARBARA LEKBERG
“I Am Woman” Leonard J. Meiselman Memorial Award
61th NATIONAL EXHIBIT OF CONTEMPORARY REALISM IN ART
May 1, 2011 – June 14, 2011
Jurors – Christopher Zhang & Maris Platais
Presented by the Academic Artists Association
KAREN SPRAGUE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER, Springfield, MA
“Little Mermaid” Carla Santia & Associates Award
SALMAGUNDI CLUB 101st ANNUAL THUMB-BOX EXHIBITION
December 7, 2011 – January 1, 2012
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, NY, NY
“Revelation” Alphaeus P.Cole Memorial Award
SALMAGUNDI CLUB “127th Annual Members Exhibition”
October – November 22, 2010
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, New York, NY Juror: Michael Gormley, Editorial Director, American Artist Publications
“Green Goddess” Philip Isenberg Memorial Award,
SOCIETY OF CT SCULPTORS 18TH ANNUAL SCULPTURE EXHIBITION
June 4 – July 30, 2010
ALEXY VON SCHLIPEE GALLERY OF ART, UCONN, Avery Point, Groton, CT
“Stubborn is as Stubborn Does” Third Prize
SALMAGUNDI CLUB “126th Annual Members’ Exhibition”
November 16 – 27, 2009 SALMAGUNDI CLUB, NY, NY 10003
Award Winner - “Hello Dolly” Harry R. Ballinger Memorial Award
ALL MEMBERS SHOW
October 7-24, 2009
ARTISTS COOPERATIVE GALLERY OF WESTERLY, Westerly, RI
“Hello Dolly” Peoples, Choice Award –First Place
SALMAGUNDI CLUB “Those Delectable Vices”
October 5 – 30, 2009 SALMAGUNDI CLUB, New York, NY 10003
“Living Large” Award of Merit
53rd ANNUAL JURIED REGIONAL ART SHOW
Juror: Carolina Pedraza, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
August 7 – Sept. 26, 2009
MYSTIC MUSEUM OF ART, Mystic, CT
“Dolly on a Log” Mabel Kingsbury Fentress Award
ALL MEDIA OPEN JURIED EXHIBIT 2009
MAY 21 – JUNE 6, 2009
Juror: Julie Thomas Doran
SOUTH COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION, Kingston, RI
“Poseidon’s Bride” Honorable Mention
ELECTED ARTIST EXHIBITION
April 16 – May 17, 2009
MYSTIC MUSEUM OF ART, MYSTIC, CT
Award Winner: “Poseidon’s Bride” Award for Excellence
SALMAGUNDI CLUB 100th ANNUAL THUMB-BOX EXHIBITION
Dec 8, 2008 – January 2, 2009
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, NY, NY
“Poseidon’s Bride” Certificate of Merit, Outstanding Work
SCNY Annual Summer Exhibition
August 4 – 22, 2008 SALMAGUNDI CLUB, NY, NY
“Just Another Charlie Horse” Members Memorial Award for Sculpture
58TH NATIONAL EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY REALISM IN ART
APRIL 8 - MAY 18, 2008 JURORS – ROBERT K. CARSTEN, CA, PSA; ROBERT O’BRIEN, AWS, NWS,
PRESENTED BY THE ACADEMIC ARTISTS ASSOC, KAREN SPRAGUE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER, SPRINGFIELD, MA
“ZHEN ZHEN” AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE, SCULPTURE
2007 ANNUAL THUMB-BOX EXHIBITION
DEC 3 – JANUARY 4, 2008
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, NY, NY
“Fallen Angel” Certificate of Merit, Outstanding Work
SCNY ANNUAL MEMBERS COMBINED EXHIBITION
Jan 8 – Feb 2, 2007
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, NY, NY
BOXER” Honorable Mention Award for Sculpture
ALL MEDIA OPEN JURIED EXHIBIT 2006
29th Annual Juried Paintings, Graphics & Sculpture Exhibition for Non-Members June 19 - June 30, 2006
SALMAGUNDI CLUB, New York, NY
“Shoo Fly” Joseph Hartley Memorial Award for Sculpture
MEMBERS ANNUAL 2004
August 19 – September 11, 2004 Juror: Kristin Street
SOUTH COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION, Kingston, RI
“Poseidon’s Bride” Honorable Mention
54th NATIONAL EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY REALISM IN ART
April 4 - April 23, 2004
Jurors: Paul Leveill and Sandra Wakeen
ACADEMIC ARTISTS ASSOC.FIRST CHURCH ST. GALLERY, Springfield, MS “Charlie ”2nd Place for Sculpture
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
January 18 – February 4, 2004
Juror: Douglas Peck WICKFORD ART ASSOCIATION, Wickford, RI
“Charlie” FIRST PLACE
53th NATIONAL EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY REALISM IN ART
April 2003 ACADEMIC ARTISTS
FIRST CHURCH ST. GALLERY, Springfield, MS
“Sun Kissed” Council of American Societies Award for Traditional Sculpture
CONVERGENCE 2001: WARWICK
September 9 – September 30, 2001
WARWICK ARTS FOUNDATION,
Warwick, RI
“Bagheera” 2nd Place Award for Sculpture
MEMBERS SHOW April 11 – May 18, 2001
Juried by the Board of Directors
MYSTIC MUSEUM OF ART, Mystic, CT
“Nanook” Members Excellence Award for Sculpture
ACGOW 2001 JURIED REGIONAL SHOW
March 3 – March 27, 2001
Juror: Frank Federico, PSA, NWS
ARTISTS COOPERATIVE GALLERY OF WESTERLY, Westerly, RI
“Stellar Expectations” 3rd Place
CONVERGENCE 2000: WARWICK
Sept 9 – Oct 8, 2000 WARWICK ARTS FOUNDATION, WARWICK, RI
“The Gloucesterman” 2nd PLACE
ACGOW REGIONAL SHOW
February 26 - March 23, 1998
JUROR: Betsy Bessinger
ARTISTS COOPERATIVE GALLERY OF WESTERLY, Westerly, RI
"Gourmet Delight” Pastel BEST IN SHOW