Rick Bartow is considered one of the most important leaders in contemporary Native American art. Although he is best known for his large, expressive pastel and graphite drawings, Bartow was also a prolific painter, mixed media sculptor, and printmaker.

In 1969 Bartow graduated from Western Oregon State College with a BA in Secondary Art Eduction. He was a life-long musician and songwriter and an enrolled member of the Mad River Band of Wiyot Indians.

Bartow's art is held in over 100 museum and public collections and was the subject of over 100 solo exhibitions. He was the subject of two traveling career retrospectives: My Eye, (2002–2004) organized by the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University, and Things You Know But Cannot Explain (2015–2020) organized by the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon. A hardcover book featuring images and essays from this exhibition is available.

Bartow's artwork has been shown in galleries around the globe and has been purchased by thousands of collectors. The Rick Bartow Trust is dedicated to furthering Rick Bartow's artistic legacy and the visibility and placement of his work in public and private collections. The Trust is grateful to work in concert with the following consigning galleries: Karin Clarke Gallery, Eugene, OR; Stonington Gallery, Seattle, WA; Chiaroscuro Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM; and Timothy Hawkinson Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.