Inspired and encouraged by a middle school art teacher, Ron Patterson discovered his artistic talents at a young age. With a love for art and a talent for painting, Patterson continued his artistic endeavors in high school and in his college career at the Central Academy of Art in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition to his main focus on painting, he studied graphic design, illustration, and advertising, which contributed to the development of his work and led to a career as a commercial artist and illustrator before he turned to fine art.

Patterson’s earlier paintings are of the school of Realism but over the years he has branched out into Impressionism, Surrealism, and Cubism to create an interesting and unique style. This is apparent in his human figures, which are often painted without eyes. Celebrating the joys of life and love, Patterson paints sightless people as a testament to the idea that love is blind. He describes this phenomenon as “that joyful naivete that always goes hand in hand with ‘adorational’ love in all its many forms.”

Patterson prefers to use acrylic paints on canvas or paper, often on a grand scale. The boldness of the colors complements the studied nonchalance of his brushwork, creating a tension in his technique that is often reflected in the relationships between the figures he paints. This exploration of “the fluidity of the natural figure” is a precise combination of imagination and craftsmanship that has earned praise across the United States. Patterson continues to paint and exhibit his art from New Mexico to Ohio to Massachusetts and many places in between.