Pinky Bass completed a bachelor’s degree at Agnes Scott College then 30 years later, at age 50, attended Georgia State University for a master’s in fine arts degree in painting and drawing. In that process, she discovered her voice in photography, though installation, mixed media, and performance figure prominently in her current work.  

Bass has been featured in more than 40 one-person shows and in numerous group exhibitions throughout the United States as well as in Mexico, Italy, Germany, Macedonia, and Canada. Her work is included in numerous collections including the High Museum in Atlanta, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Polaroid Collection. 

“My work in photography, whether pinhole or standard, has always aimed at revealing edges of the mystery of life, aging, and death, particularly in relation to the human body,” Bass wrote in an artist’s statement for the exhibit. “Pinhole, with its unusual perspective and glorious array of mistakes, seems suited to my particular investigation of our being, Often surreal, the images that I prefer exist on the edge of the dream world.” 

Bass said that stitchery work, incorporated into some of her art, began during her sister’s battle with cancer. “I became obsessed with what was going on inside her body and began the series of internal organs sewn onto photographs of the human figure. In addition to my sister, my oldest son, both my parents and two close artist/collaborator friends died over the past few years. I have done handwork all my life and the comfort of doing that on my photographs has helped me through a very long grieving period.”  

“Most currently my work has extended into the world of music, using perforated photographic images to create random tunes, much like the way a player piano functions. I use mannequins, cameras, and musical instruments as sound boxes but am basically still exploring the human form,” Bass said.  

Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges that Change Lives.