Michael Patterson was born in Hudson NY into a family of painters. Howard Ashman Patterson, his grandfather, was an established American painter. Michael graduated from Suny Purchase with honors in painting, printmaking and sculpture. He has been painting for 35 years, doing extensive traveling for inspiration. Having lived in France for several years, Michael has shown his work in Europe and the US, primarily in the Northeast.
Through the years his work has encompassed many styles and series of subjects. He is drawn to many of the same things visually that he was drawn to years ago...rainy city streets, sun on sparkling waters, faces, hands, clouds, sky, dappled sunlight, people at the beach, musicians and emotions in everyday people.
In addition to painting, Michael has returned to creating sculptures in stone and clay, both figurative and abstract. Michael has enjoyed great success in his career with his work being held in private and corporate collections in the US and Europe. His home and studio are on the Shepaug River in Roxbury, CT where he lives with his wife Jessyka.
Artist’s Statement:
My work has focus on several objectives. Light, reflected light and its color effects, as well as the positive and negative shapes of equal importance, create the graphic energy of my compositions. This sets the rhythm for a piece and influences where the viewer’s eye travels and at what pace. I include curved lines with straight, organic shapes juxtaposed geometric shapes woven together, always conscious of the line created by any color masses converging. This line flows throughout, interrupted, yet continuous. Finally, the subject of my work most always includes the human figure wherever they may be – city streets, markets, the beach, alone or in groups. Beyond all other beauty in the world, people in all their complexities, are the pinnacle of beauty.
