MICHELLE BĀZIS
Writer, Photographer, Artist
Michelle Bāzis is a writer, photographer, and artist based in Northwest Arkansas. She studied journalism and fine art at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and currently serves as the managing editor of Bentonville City Lifestyle Magazine. While her photography leans dreamy and journalistic, her paintings are bold and quirky, often featuring sentimental icons or heroic characters.
"I PAINT FUN STUFF...AND DANCE A LOT."
ORIGINAL ART
PURE LITTLE SUGAR COLLECTION
Special Project
LEMONADE, 2025
Acrylic on Canvas
Commissioned cover art for single by Arkansas-based singer/songwriter, Thomas Stringfellow.
BTS
Special Project
HOPE IN BLOOM, 2024
36" x 48"
Acrylic on Canvas
"Hope In Bloom" was commissioned for the 2024 Unbroken Gala at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, to benefit the NWA Center for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. The painting is packed with symbolism: The Venus or Madonna figure, dressed in royal purple, emerges from a bed of [thorny] Roses, blooming amongst Magnolias [strength/endurance]. She gazes at a descending Dove [hope/new beginnings] wearing a Crown of Flowers [celebration]. She holds Mustard Seed [faith] blooms in her hand.
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Special Project
COWBOY BEN BAZIS, 2025
Acrylic on Canvas
Inspired by an old home video of my husband as a toddler playing cowboy while his parents hollered, "Lookout! It's Cowboy Ben Bāzis!" My mother-in-law painted a similar portrait of Cowboy Ben Bāzis as a boy. In this portrait, I painted him with a bandana to focus on my favorite feature [his eyes]; he's wearing my grandfather's Stetson.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BENTONVILLE
CITY LIFESTYLE
MAGAZINE
As the Managing Editor of Bentonville City Lifestyle, Michelle is responsible for most of the photography and copywriting you see in each issue – including the covers below. BCL is an elevated and hyper-local community magazine delivered to 7K homes & 500+ businesses in Bentonville, Arkansas.
