Today we’d like to introduce you to David Patton.
David, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
While I always enjoyed art as a child, my creative pursuits were focused on music. As I was completing my master’s degree in historical musicology in Austin, I began to dabble with watercolors. I found the small “cobblestone” shaped blots of color I made to be soothing and rewarding. A few years passed and I decided to start making painting a bit more of priority and used it as an outlet and way to decompress at the end of a long day. The first “piece” I did in graduate school helped create my brand’s name: watercolormosaic and while on occasion I dabbled in other styles, blocks of color comprise much of what I do. I uploaded a few of pieces to Etsy and was later given an invitation to a Conception Art Show here in Dallas. Going in with low expectations, it turned out to be a wonderful success and I sold several works! Brainstorming with other artists, I realized the potential of Instagram and now rely upon it to display my more recent pieces. While work and family continue to be priorities, it is my plan to promote my art and attend shows when possible. The prospect of finding people who enjoy my creations and the possibility of selling art is exciting, the drive to draw and paint for myself is still at the heart of what I do.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Abstract water color painting is my primary focus. I rely fairly heavily on ink pens as well. I love the contrast between the dark, strong, well define lines the pens create and the subtleties of watercolor. Long ago I realized my talent was not in creating “realism” in the traditional sense but do like to utilize silhouettes and then filling them with a combination of ink and watercolor. At times, I take picture, make notes, or do sketches of things which inspire me, but often times the creation of my works is entirely organic, starting with pen, then adding watercolor after. A couple of my works have particular meaning; one work was creating while I was on vacation with my family in Galveston as I reflecting back upon some of my prior works. Creating art makes me happy and gives me a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. Expressing myself creatively, be it through music or art, is important as I believe it is an innate part of who I am.
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
I am very much an amateur and thankfully have a rewarding, full time job (high school teacher at Ursuline Academy of Dallas) which allows me to view my art as a passion and hobby without any of the pressure to succeed on a larger scale so I probably have less advice than some. That being said, networking is key. This article is the result of my Instagram page, which I was encouraged to create by a fellow artist at a Conception Art Show, which I was invited to through my Etsy page. The more people you can meet and connections you can make, the better. Art is so very personal and subjective so if you wish to profit and sell your works, you need to find a variety of outlets, platforms, and venues as possible.
Creatively speaking, I will say I was given a good piece of advice and that is do not hesitate. The freer and bolder you are, the better the results. While planning, sketching, refining of technique definitely has its place, exploration and risk taking are a must as well.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have some of my earlier works on Etsy and my recent creations on Instagram; both with my brand name of “Watercolormosaic.” Everything I create is for sale and I am always willing to do commission work in any of my styles. When I attend my next show or exhibit event, those details will be posted on my Instagram page.
I will be at the Community Brewery Open House in Dallas on September 1st from 2-5 pm. More details about this event and how to purchase tickets will be made available on my Instagram page closer to the event.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Watercolormosaic
- Email: dwpatton@gmail.com
- Instagram: watercolormosaic
- Twitter: @H20colormosaic
Image Credit:
All images are taken by myself of my own work.
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