BEHIND THE PAINTINGS
BIOGRAPHY
Pamela Trail is a Fine Arts graduate of Colorado State University, inspired by her mother and grandmother to continue their legacy of strong female artists who found power and purpose through creativity. Rooted in Colorado, shaped by years near the ocean, and renewed by Idaho’s rugged beauty, she carries the essence of each place into her work.
Painting is both meditation and exploration for Pamela—a way to process emotion and rediscover connection through color, rhythm, and mark. Working primarily in acrylic and pencil, she creates vibrant, layered compositions that blur the line between abstraction and realism, blending semi-abstract landscapes with bold geometric forms. Her background in graphic design strongly influences her approach, drawing her toward intentional composition, expressive lines, patterns, and layered marks. Guided by intuition, curiosity, and play, her work invites viewers to pause, reflect, and step into a story uniquely their own.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is a conversation between instinct and intention. I begin with a single impulsive line and follow where it leads, building layers through mark-making, color, texture, and erasure. Each painting becomes a record of choices, emotions, and movement—a balance of clarity and ambiguity, structure and spontaneity.
PRINT PUBLICATIONS
2025 Create! Magazine “Celebrating Extraordinary Women Artists”, AQ Volume VI, Summer 2025 Edition
JURIED/CURATED EXHIBITIONS
2025 Small Works, Big Talent Las Laguna Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
Post-It The Firefly Artists Gallery, Northport, NY
Boise Art Show Zion Bank, Boise, ID
Annual Juried Exhibition Art Source Gallery, Boise, ID
Spring Reflection Art Mozaik Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Art to the Rescue Art Source Gallery, Boise, ID
Up in The Air Nampa Civic Center, Boise, ID
Canvas & Corks JUMP Center, Boise, ID
Into the Light Art Fluent Online Gallery, Boston, MA
12th Annual Abstract Sanctuary Verum Ultimum Art Gallery, Portland, OR
Seasons: Winter 2025 Exhibizone Online Gallery, Canada
2024 OPUS 2024 Water’s Edge Gallery, Boise, ID
Patterns Light, Space & Time Online Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Absolutely Abstract Las Laguna Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
Seascapes Light, Space & Time Online Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Nature’s Canvas Azalea Arts, Boston, MA
Abstract Define Art Gallery, Sarasota, FL
Women In Art Las Laguna Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
Land of Nod Gem Center of the Arts, Boise, ID
2023 Annual Juried Exhibition Art Source Gallery, Boise, ID
2014 Art & The Word Jeanette Best Gallery, Port Townsend, WA
2013 Art Port Townsend Jeanette Best Gallery, Port Townsend, WA
Small Expressions XII Jeanette Best Gallery, Port Townsend, WA
Alchemy of the Abstract VI Jeanette Best Gallery, Port Townsend, WA
Venture–to take a risk! Jeanette Best Gallery, Port Townsend, WA
2012 Art Port Townsend Northwind Art, Port Townsend, WA
2005 Capitol City Visual Arts Exhibit The Side Door Studio, Olympia, WA
Contemporary Collage Northwind Art, Port Townsend, WA
2004 Small Expressions III Northwind Art, Port Townsend, WA
2003 Different Strokes Northwind Art, Port Townsend, WA
2002 Sequim Annual Juried Exhibition Sequim, WA
Slide SLAM Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 Purple Plus Initial Point Gallery, Boise, ID
Art is Song, Song is Art JUMP Center & Water’s Edge Gallery, Boise, ID
Best of BOSCO FireFusion Studio & Delia Dante Gallery, Boise, ID
Dusty Chaps & Cowboy Hats Initial Point Gallery, Boise, ID
Object d’Art Crossroads Arts Center, Baker City, OR
Spirit of the West Idaho Art Gallery, Boise, ID
Featured Artist Exhibition Idaho Art Gallery, Boise, ID
2024 Featured Artist Exhibition Idaho Art Gallery, Boise, ID
Art is Song, Song is Art JUMP Center & Water’s Edge Gallery, Boise, ID
Best of BOSCO FireFusion Studio & Delia Dante Gallery, Boise, ID
2023 Catalyst Arts Collaborative Gift Shop, Boise, ID
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 Featured Artist Exhibition St. Luke’s Hospital, Boise, Meridian and Nampa, ID
Featured Artist Exhibition Robert & Wallace, Boise, ID
Featured Artist Exhibition Boise Food Co-op, Meridian, ID
2016 The Horizon Coldwell Banker Best Homes, Port Townsend, WA
2012 Linear Alterations Conservatory Coastal Home, Port Townsend, WA
2008 Trail at Tyler Tyler Street Coffee House, Port Townsend, WA
2004 Featured Artist Exhibition Torrefazione Italia, Seattle, WA
2002 Configurations The Bishop Victorian Hotel, Port Townsend, WA
Featured Artist Exhibition Bread & Roses Restaurant, Port Townsend, WA
Featured Artist Exhibition The Fountain Cafe, Port Townsend, WA
Lines and Wines FairWinds Winery, Port Townsend, WA
Featured Artist Exhibition Wild Coho Restaurant, Port Townsend, WA
HONORS and AWARDS
2024 3rd Place Award: Winter Mesa OPUS 2024 Water’s Edge Gallery, Boise, ID
Honorable Mention Award: Geometric Abstraction No.31 Patterns Light, Space & Time Online Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Special Merit Award: Geometric Abstraction No.33 Patterns Light, Space & Time Online Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Special Merit Award: Seaboard Seascapes Light, Space & Time Online Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Special Recognition Award: Dune’s Edge Seascapes Light, Space & Time Online Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Honorable Mention Award: Morning Shadows Abstract Define Art Gallery, Sarasota, FL
2012 Merit Award: Lock of the Barrack Art Port Townsend Northwind Arts Center, Port Townsend, WA
EDUCATION
1992 BFA Colorado State University