About Betsy Batish

Competing at an Extreme Cowboy Race in 2014. Photo by Evon Schaar Kurtz.

Growing up in the desert Southwest, I was surrounded by beautiful landscapes, epic sunsets and the western way of life. I watched as my mother, a renowned Southwestern artist in her own right, would recreate those scenes with paint on canvas, while my father would develop photographs in our homemade dark room from such desert adventures as captaining his own private vessel down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Much of my childhood also revolved around horses and rodeo, and while for many little girls, horses are just a phase, for me, that phase lives on. These influences are the passion behind my art. 

Trained as a photojournalist, I believe every place, every person, every animal, every thing has a story to tell. I focus on capturing those moments which might otherwise be missed or forgotten - often framing them from a different perspective - to share with the world. While much of my work has been in the traditional vein of photojournalism, I've recently forayed in to the realm of photo artistry utilizing digital manipulation and unique printing materials such as metal, wood and velvet to heighten the character, depth and drama of my work. I am particularly excited about my current series in progress, Neon Ponies.

I'm humbled to have received recognition for my work, which can be viewed under 'Accolades.' I am a professional member of the National Federation of Press Women, Arizona Professional Writers and Equine Photographers Network. To learn more about my work as a writer and to see examples of my photographs as published, please visit the 'Words' tab.