Born in Cleveland in 1928 and reared in a family with African-American and Cherokee heritage, Virgie Patton couldn't afford a formal art education. But she attended life-drawing classes at the Cleveland Institute of Art, and studied sculpture at Karamu House.
Artist Statement:
“My interest in drawing, painting and sculpting figures was established at a very early age while attending life drawing classes at the Cleveland Institute of Art. These experiences led me to research and observe figurative art of the Classical and Renaissance periods. I abandoned the human form as art expression for a brief time in order to explore other subjects of interest, but I soon reconciled myself with the figure and considered it to be my penultimate expression because of its rich aesthetic potential. The figure seems to have the power to compel the viewer to look closer, as they are reflective of life and spirit.
I am excited by the rhythm and soft flowing lines that are created by the various movements or positions of the body. The figure became a means to interpret and express how I see. I experience great pleasure in painting and drawing the human figure and feeling the harmonious balance of form and rhythm. I am also excited by the shapes that are created by the figures, and consider their outlines with emphasis on idealized delineation of the feminine form.
The figure is symbolic and is kept within boundaries that order a pleasing aesthetic. The female forms, being pure nature are represented as the subject, the form and draw on classical traditions.
I now confront my bare canvases with more freedom. I no longer worry about the end results. Instead, I appeal to the intellect and intuition. The figure itself dictates the spaces or objects surrounding it. There is nothing more rewarding than intuition. You have to embrace the idea in order to establish your identity. I always possessed a natural response to the human figure, and considered it so basic and familiar. I have returned to the figure for expression. My canvases embrace both the abstract and the romanticism that are obviously contemporary. This is where I am. More than just painting, I want the viewer to experience something beyond the painting itself. To feel something about me.”
