Life's stories plant seeds in my mind, take shape in my soul, and are born through my sculptures.

Awards & Recognition
Exhibitions

Serena Bates, a Westerly, Rhode Island-based sculptor, breathes life into figures, both human and animal, to whisper and sometimes shout the stories that reside within them. Through the tactile language of clay, bronze, and stone, I seek to capture fleeting moments, enduring emotions, and the intricate connections that bind us to the natural world.

My hands coax form from raw matter, imbuing each piece with a sense of presence and narrative. The gentle curve of a spine, the watchful gaze of an animal's eye, the subtle tension in a leaning figure - these details become the vocabulary of my storytelling. Also, the occasional happy accident creates unexpected humanity. Whether exploring the quiet dignity of a solitary creature or the dynamic interplay between human and animal, my sculptures aim to evoke empathy and spark contemplation.

Rooted in the landscapes and rhythms of coastal Rhode Island, my work often reflects the textures and spirit of this place. The weathered surfaces and organic forms I embrace echo the ebb and flow of the tides and the enduring strength of the natural world. Ultimately, my sculptures are an invitation to pause, to observe, and to listen to the silent narratives that surround us, rendered tangible in three dimensions.

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 traditional 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 "wabi-sabi" effect, 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

Center for American Marine Art 42nd Schaefer International Marine Art Exhibition
Sep 18 - Oct 11, 2025
The Mariner Gallery
Newport, RI
Award: "Survivor", Schaefer International Marine Wildlife Award

Allied Artists of America 111th Annual On-line Exhibition
Sep 1, 2024 - Sep 1, 2025
alliedartistsofamerica.org
Juror: Thomas Folk, PhD, Dr.
Award: "Chameleon of the Sea", Josephine Beardsley Sandor Memorial Award

WAFTA Contemporary Realism Competition and Exhibition
Aug 9 - Aug 30, 2025
Watson Gallery. Keeney Memorial Cultural Center
Wethersfield, CT
Juror: Sandra Wakeen & Susan Wakeen
Award: Honor Award for Sculpture

> View all Awards

Exhibitions

Rockport Art Association & Museum National Juried Show 2025
Nov 15, 2025 - Jan 2, 2026
Rockport Art Association
Juror: Cindy Baron, OPAN, PAPP

Catharine Lorillard Wolfe 128th Open Juried Exhibition
Oct 28 - Nov 14, 2025
Salmagundi Club
New York, NY
Juror: Olga Nielsen, Fellow NSS & Padget Sutherland, Deputy Chief Development Officer, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

112th Academic Artists Juried Exhibition
Oct 12 - Nov 2, 2025
Arts Center East
Vernon, CT
Juror: Julie Beck

> View all Exhibitions