Bettina Patermo studied under Gunther Damisch at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. The artist graduated in the class of Hubert Schmalix in 2000.

Color has always been one of the most important instruments in her work. Large monochrome areas of color dominate the picture surface. A strong two-dimensionality dominates, bringing large-format faces, figures and animal depictions close to the viewer and presenting them with naturalistic features. “In principle, my pictures are structured like short films. Sequences from films where I am both the producer and the protagonist of a piece of a narrative and which take place somewhere at some point in my life. [...] These representations are both: highly personal and yet available to any viewer”.

Dealing with freedom, diversity and togetherness are central themes in the artist's work. The depicted insight into her inner life may not always be tangible for the viewer, but it gives rise to a multitude of associations.