She is a printmaker, noted for her embossing technique, and in the 1960s, became well known for her Plexiglas cube sculptures which incorporated print processes.[5] Her work is often inspired by Occidental themes or religions. Bates was a member of the group in Victoria known as the Victoria Limners Society, a group of visual artists based in Victoria, B.C. (1971-2008).[6] Bates played a role in the art community locally: she was the founder of what became XChanges Gallery and Studios in Victoria, a non-profit artists' cooperative operating a gallery and studios for practicing artists, among other initiatives.[7]
Bates had many exhibitions, both nationally and internationally.[8] In 1986, an exhibition of her work was shown in Vancouver.[2] In 2005, a retrospective exhibition titled Pat Martin Bates: Destinations, Navigations, Illuminations was shown at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.[9] In 2019, her a 50-year survey exhibition titled Inscape Golden Timeless Threads - Points of Starlight Silence was shown at the Victoria Arts Council as a special project in honour of the Council's 50th anniversary year.[10][11]
She received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal,[1] the Zachenta medal in Poland, the Global Graphics Award in Holland, the Gold Medal at the International Biennale of Prints[11] and the International Print Art of Norway Gold Medal, and various awards from the Canada Council,[12] as well as the Legacy Prize from Victoria.[8] She was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy in 2008.[4][16] The Canadian Federation of University Women Victoria esteemed her by establishing, in 1985, the Pat Martin Bates Scholarship in Visual Arts.[12]
—— (1972). Black & white almost. Black & White Press. OCLC11628534.
——; Chu, Gene; Urquhart, Tony (1974). 41st Annual Exhibition of Prints and Drawings : November 1st-25th, 1974, London Public Library and Art Museum. Société canadienne des arts graphiques. Exposition annuelle. London, Ontario, CA: La Société. OCLC726515735.
——; Urquhart, Tony (1975). Pat Martin Bates : perforations silencieuses, gravures. Tony Urquhart : paysages interdimensionnels, sculptures : [exposition], 2 octobre-23 novembre 1975 (in French). Paris: Centre culturel canadien. ISBN9782900434055. OCLC461431022.
——; Hurtig, Annette; Page, P K; Saddlemeyer, Ann (2005). Pat Martin Bates : destinations, navigations, illuminations. Victoria: Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. OCLC67402042.
——; Coldwell, Joan (2010). It is I, Patricia : an artist's childhood. Sidney, B.C.: Hedgerow Press. ISBN9781459340275. OCLC716059254.