I began my artistic endeavours as a child sketching and colouring extensively. What appealed to me most were the elements of nature - landscape, animals, flowers, etc. My father, a fine cabinet-maker/carpenter by trade, was particularly talented at sketching out his project designs and had the most beautiful handwriting of anyone I've known. I learned from him, at an early age, to pay attention to the details of form, size and dimension. We'd spend hours together sketching and creating. I've always attributed my artistic abilities to him. (Miss you Dad!)
After years of exploration in media such as computer graphic design, acrylic and watercolour painting, I've finally discovered an artistic medium that truly allows me to express my imagination and passion for life while delving into the artistic qualities I enjoy most, not to mention my passion for gardening which I also attribute to my Dad. He instilled in our family a great appreciation for the outdoors and had the proverbial "green thumb" which resulted in beautiful gardens and house plants. (Okay, so I didn't get the house plant gene. Remember Charlie Brown's Christmas tree? You get the picture. It's all outside for me!)
Fabric sculpting is my playground and my goal with each piece is to capture the uniqueness and character of the subject as well as to generate a mood or emotion. The combination of colours and textures makes each one-of-a-kind sculpture come alive and an engaging addition to any home or garden... even your workplace.
Vanessa Patterson
