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Born in Shreveport, Louisiana Curtis Patterson began life in a humble setting as one of five siblings. Early on a series of impetuses enveloped Patterson and forged a path towards expression through the arts. Like most African Americans living in the South in the 1950s and 60s, perpetual social barriers and stark civil injustices served as vivid reminders of the inequities which continued to exist as the nation mulled through the Civil Rights struggle. Grandson of a master carpenter Patterson developed gravity for building, construction and working with his hands as a child. Both his parents provided unwavering discipline, structure and emphasized achieving harmony while leading a spiritual life. His talents and abilities as an artist initiated in high school and were later strengthened during his academic pursuits at Grambling State University, where he received a BA degree in Art Education. Patterson’s career in art reached full-circle shortly after through his involvement as a secondary art instructor. Seeking further artistic development he attended Georgia State University in Atlanta and became the first African American to receive a Master of Visual Arts in Sculpture from the institution. Media such as painting, wood and ceramics were centric to Patterson’s earliest works. During his graduate study his interests quickly shifted towards sculptures made from cast iron, fabricated steel and some large scale ceramic works. In 1976 he became a member of the faculty at The Atlanta College of Art. Almost in parallel to the onset of his professional career as a professor Patterson entered the realm of large-scale commissioned public work with a fabricated core-tin sculpture titled Cometh the Sun. Many of Patterson’s artistic efforts have been exhibited at sites both nationally and internationally, which include shows in the United States, France, Nigeria and Sweden. His intrigue with the manipulation of three-dimensional space and objects is clearly evident in many of his massive works, which by virtue of their unique design, invite participation and promote curiosity. Hands on by nature, Patterson enjoys producing large scale works that invite participation rather than impenetrable masses and works that are made inaccessible by some form of barrier. He enjoys his audiences being able to physically access and experience his pieces and frequently embeds subtle surprises within his work as reward for those who are motivated to explore and discover. An unbroken connection with ancestral lineage is apparent in several of Patterson’s creations from small to large scale works, whose symbolism and elements serve as indelible references to the historical contributions of people of African descent. Patterson pays homage with his sculptures not only to civil rights leaders, musicians, and athletes but also to those less recognized who have made an equal degree of sacrifice through their social service, domestic work and manual labor. For nearly three decades Patterson has served as an inspirational source and motivational force for students pursuing careers in sculpture as well as other fine arts. |
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cpsculptor@bellsouth.net
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about this web site and/or Curtis Patterson Sculptural Works.
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