Bette Blau is a visual artist who makes paintings, collages and photographs. She graduated from New York City’s School of Visual Arts with a BFA in painting. After an enduring career as a stylist for print and television, she transitioned into photography and began shooting the work of local artisans, capturing the beauty and nuance of their handcrafted work. Bette also launched her Instagram account, @whatBettefound, to showcase her collections of vintage goods and found objects.
More recently, Bette moved her studio from Brooklyn to Barryville, NY, and has returned to painting and become immersed in another form of collecting—foraging. Her images are created with multiple layers of texture and earth tones, some of which are peeled away to reveal what lies beneath. She weaves together bits of ephemera and decaying organic matter, connecting what man and nature leave behind.