"I physically need to make art. Art isn't just a hobby for me. It's not something that I "like". It's an intense passion, an ecstatic love affair, with as much turmoil, frustration, exasperation and need as a forbidden liaison."
Some artists are naturally creative. For them, creativity is an impulse, a need, an obvious fact. The strange sense of urgency that pushes one to surpass oneself and to reinvent everything is the very symbol of a creator. The quest for beauty lies dormant within everyone and is expressed at varying degrees. For Kurtis Patterson it is the art of living.
The son of an artist, I received my first lessons and initial creative spark and push from my mother Norma; an accomplished artist in her own right. After a stint in the US Navy the artist found that he had an urgent need to create. Under the tutelage of renowned artist/educators Louise Freshman Brown and Paul Ladnier at the University of North Florida an artistic fire was ignited. "The art of the German Expressionists, der Bleu Ryder Group and that of the artists of the Harlem Renaissance became my inspiration!" This Birmingham, Alabama area artist does impressionistic work focusing on everyday life. The work proceeds through a series of sketches to a full-sized drawing, which is transferred to canvas. His technique for the actual paintings involves building up areas of color through the application of thick layers of paint to achieve vibrant color effects. The artist states, “It is very demanding to be an artist. Being an artist requires me to constantly grow and evolve, both consciously and as a human being. One must constantly balance and transfer the influences of the outside world, the things that occur in everyday life into his creative personality.”
"I love color and the drama created by extreme light. Subjects from nature, flowers, animals and sentimental landscapes appeal to me. I especially enjoy exploring the tranquil beauty and dynamic energy of the ocean. Creating scenes that capture the explosive color and dynamism of aquatic plants and animals allows a spiritual center to which I constantly find myself returning. I also have a great passion for and admiration for athletics and music as displayed by historically Black Colleges and Universities. As such, I enjoy painting scenes capturing that unique slice of Americana as well!"
