Art has been a lifetime passion for Tricia Bass. Her love of the great outdoors and particularly colorful Montana, has led her to a career as a plein air painter. "I am often so moved by what I see,  that I feel a great responsibility to bring that emotion to the viewer", the artist states.  Bass has learned that the essence of feeling and the play of light and color in a scene is what she hopes to catch in a simple, pleasing way.  It is not always the breathtaking vista that excites her but sometimes the smallest, simplest subject will catch her eye to help bring paint to canvas.

Bass has a formal education in fine arts with a minor in art history from the University of Florida.  She has worked in several areas of art on her journey to becoming a painter, including free-lance illustrating and pottery.   Tricia considers herself a huge fan and student of study of deceased masters Sergei Bongart, Fedor Zakharov and Edgar Payne, as well as living legends Don Sahli, Scott Christensen and mentor and friend Scott Yeager.   She considers her work to be fairly Russian in style due to years of study with Sahli but is growing her own melting pot American style through the influence of others.  She calls Hamilton, Montana home and will gladly provide you with tea and scones at a personal exhibition in her studio.  Please give her advance notice of your visit so she can learn how to make scones.

AWARDS & HONORS

Selected participant 2011 National American Impressionist Society Exhibition, Carmel, California

Plein Air Artists Of Colorado 15th National Juried Exhibition, Saks Gallery, Denver - 1st Place Associate Award
40th Annual National Exhibition Women Artists Of The West, SourceTech Award, June 2010.
Plein Air Artists Of Colorado 2010 Taos Paint-Out, 3rd Place - Selected by jury of peers.
Wyoming Plein Air 2009, Cheyenne, Wyoming - 3rd Place
Paint, Sculpt, Shoot Evergreen 2008, Evergreen, Colorado - 2nd Place, Professionals Division
Lonetree Art Exhibit 2008, Lonetree, Colorado - 1st Place, Works on Canvas
17th Annual National Art Exhibition 2007, Fort Collins, Colorado - Honorable Mention
59th Blossom Festival 2006, Fremont, Colorado - Honorable Mention