Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Brett.
Hi Patricia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I grew up in NE Ohio, attended Ohio State, went east to Yale for graduate school in architecture, then lived for over 30 years in New York City (exciting, I know!). I’m now living in Cleveland Hts, OH, about an hour from where I grew up. I feel as though life has come full circle. I’ve wanted to be an artist since I was about five, it’s all I have ever wanted to do.
Unfortunately, time spent drawing or making art was not encouraged when I was growing up. So….. I studied architecture and became an unhappy architect. (Although I did have an incredible three years studying architecture at Yale! I was making all sorts of crazy models and exploring some outrageous ideas in my work. Animal movement patterns for a project in Des Moine, Iowa, come to mind.)
In 2016 I went back to school to study stone carving and print-making; I am now a full-time visual artist. Between life as an architect and becoming an artist, I had an entrepreneurial period where I created the first line of designer swimwear for breast cancer survivors, Veronica Brett, in memory of an aunt.
Now, it’s exciting to create art full-time and work in so many diverse mediums. I make prints, many embossed (raised from the surface of the page) and some cast in plaster, creating a very subtle bas-relief. I also carve stone (though not as much as I’d like!) and paint in watercolor and Sumi-e ink.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It took me time to get past the childhood messages regarding art. Fortunately, I have the opportunity to pursue my calling now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I paint, I sculpt, and I make prints. I work with a very diverse assortment of materials and mediums. Although I am somewhat obsessed with bas-relief (flat sculptures that are not quite 3-D), I don’t specialize. I create bas-reliefs with my prints, in my stone carvings, plaster sculptures, and paper reliefs.
I think the fact that I am comfortable working in so many different mediums is what sets me apart from other artists. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and a minimalist, that’s probably what I am known for. I recently curated my first show, “Sculptural Imprints” for KINK Contemporary gallery here in Cleveland. The show brought together seven printmakers, all of whom were exploring unique textures, space, and the third dimension in their print works.
I am most proud of this thing: bringing together these talented artists and creating a show around their stories and works. It was a pretty incredible experience. The show was well-received, and I met, worked with, and became friends with some amazing artists!
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I don’t think of it as luck, I think of it as serendipity. You work hard, put in the time to perfect your craft, and the right opportunities show up at the right time. You just have to be open to them, leap, and say yes, even if it scares you!
Contact Info:
- Website: patriciabrett.com
- Instagram: @patricia.brett
Image Credits
Thomas Butcher and McKenzie Beynon
