Using wax pencil, acrylic, and oil paint on various supports, I layer pigment with brushes, palette knives, and printing techniques. I get lost in the way color, line, and texture move about on the surface as the work changes in each moment. Applying paint to cover earlier passages is a part of my exploration of the life cycle — moving forward can require letting go. This cloak and reveal with art media and the element of time is intentional. The prospect of what will remain visible in the final painting is a mystery and an element of what shepherds my creative process.

Abstracted plant life systems are a recurring theme in my work — the tangled mass of roots, the awkward meandering lines of branches, and how the passage of time can obscure what previously existed. As unexpected forces often interrupt growth, finding alternative pathways is a compelling resilience. This relentless drive and the inherent messiness are analogous to our human learning and development, which is the foundation that inspires my paintings.

I spent my childhood absorbing the varied spectrum of cultures within the milieu of the Shenandoah Vallery in Virginia. I graduated with a BFA from James Madison University, immersed in painting, printmaking, and alternative processes in photography. I am currently seeking a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at Wesleyan University, concentrating in humanities and creative writing.

My primary studio is in Brooklyn, New York.

Connect via email pattiparsons art or Instagram @pattiparsons