Carrie Patterson

Biography

Carrie Patterson is a Professor of Art at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She earned a B.F.A in painting from James Madison University and an M.F.A in painting from The University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, she was a student resident at The New York Studio School. For twenty years, Patterson has created geometric objects that embody a poetic, physical translation of place. Early in her career, Patterson combined abstraction with observation using forms found in vernacular architecture such as billboards, signs, and barns as source material. Through a slow process of mining a site for information, she remembers specific places by measuring distance and observing light by drawing, filming, and photographing. By 2010, her method of constructing paintings, layering paint on canvas, stacking wood and paper, became primary to her creative process. She maintains her practice, often incorporating memories of observed landscapes into her constructions and isolating color events or single gestural marks. Her work has been exhibited widely across the country with solo shows in Philadelphia, New York, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, and Minnesota. She is the founder of thegesso.com, the art resource for creative teens and the founder of theyellowline.co, art curriculum for creative, imaginative, and expressive kids. She is author of  How to See, a lecture series available through The Great Courses, and recipient of the Homer L. Dodge Award for Outstanding Service at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. In 2021, Patterson was awarded an Individual Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council. In 2020- 2023 She served as the Steven Muller Distinguished Professor of the Arts and chair of the Department of art at St. Mary’s College of Maryland where she is a tenured Professor of Art. You can find her professional work @ http://www.carriepatterson.com/

In her arts training, career choices, and professional development, Carrie has developed a broad understanding of the academic art system and approaches the art world and creative fields from a comprehensive perspective. Carrie’s guidance for all of her students is rooted in inclusivity. As a mentor to high school and college students, Carrie’s approach is non-judgmental, future-focused, and prioritizes a personalized experience for each individual that helps them identify and achieve their goals. She is devoted to advancing the careers of her students.