For Bettina Werner, art is elemental, especially the fifth element, salt. She’s been obsessed with it for decades. 

"The sounds, the smell, the texture,” Werner told NY1.

Werner grinds down different kinds of sea salt for her signature salt art work. 

What You Need To Know

  • Bettina Werner came to NYC from Italy in the 1980s and made a name for herself creating paintings from colored salt

  • She is still enthralled with the material which she says has special healing and meditative properties, which she believes are carried in her works of art

  • It seems the world is catching up with her love of salts as gourmet salts, salt scrubs, sea salt infused beauty products and even salt rooms have become hugely popular worldwide
  • Werner has created new paintings during the pandemic and hopes to sell some to benefit relief efforts in NYC and her native Italy

"It’s rock salt and fine salt," she explained, referring to the different sized salt granules.

Werner came to the NYC from Italy in the late 1980s. She began coloring and texturizing salt for a new kind of art work. She soon received the nickname “the Salt Queen.”

Now a U.S. citizen, she works out of her loft in Lower Manhattan, which she once shared with her late dog Tibino. 

"For 15 years when we live together he was my protector and best friend," she said, pointing out abstract works that have spots on them in honor of Tibino.

Werner has been creating new work throughout the pandemic, but believes you need to be in the room to fully appreciate the spiritual and mediative impact.  
 


"I do believe that this crystal is something magic that preserve and purifying the environment and also healing," she said while crushing salt into smaller bits.

Until she can have a large show, she posts on social media where she sees that salt has become a quite glamourous.  

From salt scrubs and beauty products to salt rooms, it seems the world has finally caught up with her.  

"I knew the value and importance of these crystals. So this kind of experience, I've been experiencing for 30 years in my loft," she said, laughing.

You might be wondering whether Werner likes to put salt on food; well, of course she does.

"The pink and black, there's so many different salt, because it's so amazing," she told us.

For a different kind of healing power, she hopes her paintings can raise funds for NYC and her native Italy as well.