Where are you from originally?
I grew up in the Town of Tonawanda, but lived out-of-town for many years in San Francisco, Manhattan, and Boulder/Denver before before returning in 2005. I now live in Buffalo at the Artspace Lofts.
What or who first prompted you to venture into the art world?
Three things..I received an art history book written for children with Manet’s “Flute Player” on the cover, attended a Van Gogh exhibit at Albright Knox, and signed up for a children’s art class at UB.
Have you been schooled in art?
I took art electives in high school and majored in art at SUNY Oswego before the school offered a BFA program. The New York art world of the 1980s was my version of an MFA. I also went on to receive an MA in Art Therapy from Naropa University in Boulder.
What is your medium?
Through the years, I have worked in textiles, ceramics, photography, and printmaking, but primarily I have worked in collage and paint on canvas, wood, and paper.
How has Buffalo influenced your work?
Relocating back to Buffalo coincided with stepping back from full time professional employment. having time to simmer and explore has allowed me to engage more deeply with art-making. I am also fed by the appreciation for the arts that I have found in Buffalo.
Name an artist (or more) that most inspires you.
Judy Pfaff, Swoon, Susan Rothenberg, Donald Baechler, Laurie Simmons, Robert Rauschenberg, Joan Mitchell…so many. Locally, I admire the work of Eileen Pleasure O’Brien, Tim Raymond, Michael Morgulis, and Jane Bergenn.
What is your preferred subject matter? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I’m inspired by culture, nature, history, ideas, color, texture, line. I had arrived at calling my style “Image-based abstraction,” though I’m not sure about that anymore. Visual poetry may be more like it. Each piece is a small story of the relationship between parts. I also view self-expression as healing, a discovery of wholeness, rather than an academic exercise–another way to have an experience. It’s a form of travel, really.
How do you feel you can best advance to the next level, or are you most happy where you are now?
I am preparing for a survey show at Artspace Gallery during August 2012, “Curious Evidence: Pat Pendleton 1982-2012.” Examining the path of my work and the context of why I have continued is informing my entire process right now. I am quite intrigued by the life cycle of any artist who endures without the rewards of “fame and fortune.” So many drop away in the struggle to balance earning a living, maintaining a personal life, AND creativity. For me, art requires a lot of doing nothing (simmering) and absorbing.
What is another medium that you would like to learn? Or that you have already learned?
I have created handmade books and print-on-demand books. I would like to spend time producing more of those. I would also like spend more time writing a memoir.
How often do you work on your art?
I have never been a blue collar artist–get up in the morning and go to the studio. I tend to work in spurts–produce a lot during a short period of time–then take a break. Although, this summer I am working at it just about every day.
Is there a gallery in Buffalo that you would like to show your work in, but haven’t yet?
Indigo Gallery.
What are your strengths?
I can find the inspiration to motivate myself. I’m also fairly organized and able to complete what I start.
What are your weaknesses?
Not really a weakness, but more a deterrent to getting anything done, I enjoy wandering, movies, books, and sitting. Art is a physical action that requires devotion.
Who would you most like to sell a work of art to?
I would like to sell my work to anyone who has a true appreciation and attraction to a piece.
What’s the best thing about being an artist?
It’s given me a very large experience and I have all these souvenirs to reflect upon.
What’s the worst thing about being an artist?
It’s like what is written about stepping onto a spiritual path such as meditation. Once you start opening to what is in the world, there is no going back. It’s hard. Seeking genuineness is heartbreaking and difficult. It’s the work of a lifetime, not really a “career.” Writer, Lewis Hyde, calls it “The Gift.”
Is there another local artist who you would like us to interview?
Jane Bergenn
Anything else?
Artspace
1219 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14209
Buffalo, NY 14209
Support our local artists. Here are a few more Buffalo artists and artisans to brush up on:
Kristin Damstetter, Alana Adetola Fajemisin, Sarah and John Cozzemera, Rob Hopkins, Jennifer Seth-Cimini, Elisabeth Strong, Michael Mulley, Patricia Schwimmer, Mikel Doktor, Jerome Greenberg, Elizabeth Leader, Jacqueline Welch, Doreen DeBoth, Joe Cascio, Candace Masters, Iris Kirkwood, Lukia Costello, Michael Morgulis, Julie Leatherbarrow, Chris Liberti, Michael Mararian, Daniel Rodgers, Bruce Adams, Ken Payne, Christina Cooke, Elise Anne Brooks, Frank Cravotta, Jackie Albarella, Gary Melius,Melissa Campbell, Jeff Quigley, Nancy Moran, Vincent Alejandro