10 Questions with Patrick Walsh
Patrick Walsh was born on the South Shore of Massachusetts in August 1992. Growing up, he studied art and music, finding inspiration from his Grandfather, who lived in Boston. His Grandfather, who emigrated from Ireland to the United States, was a graphic designer/illustrator before the age of computers. Continuing his pursuits in the arts, Patrick studied Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking at Plymouth State University and graduated with a BA in Art. His love of both nature and people followed him from the White Mountains of New Hampshire to the oceanic Coast of Maine. He now lives in Portland, Maine, and works out of his studio in the old textile mill in Biddeford, Maine.
Patrick Walsh - Portrait in his studio
ARTIST STATEMENT
Patrick's recent work is deeply inspired by the natural world. Particularly the unique flora and fauna of Maine. His paintings seek to explore the subtle yet profound differences within natural environments, reflecting how these variations mirror the individuality of human beings. He uses a mostly monochromatic palette to encourage the viewer to look more closely and discover the minute details that often go overlooked in our fast-paced, modern world. The work aims to challenge viewers to appreciate the nuances of the natural world and, by extension, the diversity within humanity itself.
Warm, Wet, Acrylic, 48x84 in, 2024 © Patrick Walsh
INTERVIEW
First of all, introduce yourself to our readers. When did you first realize you wanted to be an artist, and how did your grandfather's story influence your journey?
My name is Patrick Wash. I'm 32 years old, and I'm an artist currently living in Portland, Maine. I'm not really sure if there was a defining moment in my life that really solidified the idea in me that I wanted to be an artist. It's kind of been the greatest constant throughout my life. It was always something I did and always how I expressed myself or my emotions. So, I guess I've loved art and the creative process ever since I can remember, and my grandfather played a bigrole in that. He was always making or doing something creative. The earliest memory of him that I have was when he sewed a Superman costume for me right in my grandparents' South Boston apartment. I remember just running up and down the hallways with the cape flying behind me. I'm sure the neighbors weren't thrilled with the noise I was making, but I couldn't care less. Seeing him make something and bring joy to me like that really stayed with me. In retrospect, I've always wanted to create and bring joy and wander to people ever since that day, so if I had to pick a definitive moment that made me want to become an artist, that would be it.
Coneflower, acrylic, 64x52 in, 2024 © Patrick Walsh
How did you develop into the artist you are today? Can you share some key training or experiences that shaped your artistic path?
Aside from watching my grandfather and wanting to emulate his talents, my Mom always gave me something to draw with. Whether it was in a waiting room or a family barbecue. I was in the corner drawing. I took some rudimentary drawing courses as a kid that were more based on comic-style artwork than fine or conceptual work. I also had some very involved teachers throughout my early education that were hugely beneficial and encouraging to me as an artist. They printed out all sorts of drawing exercises and kind of let me screw off in the corner of the classroom and just draw the whole time. Not hugely beneficial in following the curriculum, but immensely beneficial in growing my love for art. I continued growing that love for art through high school, taking every Art class available. Eventually, I ended up studyingdrawing, printmaking, and painting at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire.
You moved from New Hampshire to Maine. How has living in that area, with its unique natural landscapes, influenced your recent body of work?
The White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire was on my doorstep in college. Those old granite hills and green forests were everything to me. I was constantly in the woods, on the rivers, and on top of the mountains. There's nothing like those forests. Although I've traveled to the Canadian Rockies, Alaskan glaciers, and everywhere in between, there was always something about the New Hampshire wilderness that felt like home. I think the Maine coast has a similar effect on me. There are beautiful coastlines of the Atlantic Ocean, and if you step inland just a little bit, there are dense woods and beautiful foliage and flora everywhere. It's really the best of both worlds for me. I grew up around the woods and cranberry bogs of southern Massachusetts, too, so I always played in the woods and water as a kid. So, to that point, a love and appreciation for nature have been ever-present in my life, and although I've explored a plethora of different artistic styles and bodies of work, my most recent work has given me that same feeling that the wilderness of the Northeastern United States has always given me. Feeling home.
Munjoy, Acrylic, 20x20 in, 2024 © Patrick Walsh
The Lawn At Salvation Army, Acrylic, 48x48 in, 2024 © Patrick Walsh
You work across various mediums like painting, drawing, and printmaking. How do you decide which medium best suits a particular concept or piece?
Well, I started college as a drawing major. I took almost every drawing class by the time I took my first printmaking class. I fell in love with printmaking and immediately switched to a printmaking major. When it came to painting, however, I never appreciated it as much as drawing or printmaking. I felt out of control, and that scared me. However, I HAD to take a painting class because it was a prerequisite for any art major. I was terrified and not confident and thought for sure that I was going to hate it. Until my professor said," If you don't like something… paint over it." That seemingly simple statement freed me from the constraints and preconceived notions that I placed on myself about painting, and from that point on, I became hooked. I switched to a painting major. Although I have a great love for printmaking, it doesn't find its way into my more recent work as much as drawing and painting do. My work is primarily painting. That being said, every painting has elements of drawing in them. I use solid acrylic markers that create a quality of texture and intensity of pigment that I can't achieve with paint alone. Using tools like solid markers, wax pastels, and oil sticks helped me define certain areas that get too loose or muddy through the painting process or vice versa. So, it's not really choosing the best process for a particular concept or piece as much as deciding when to use each element in every piece.
Can you walk us through your studio routine? What does a typical day look like for you when you're working on a new piece?
Once I walk into the studio, the first thing I do is pick a record to play. Lately, it's been "Chet" by Chet Baker and "Desire" by Bob Dylan. If I've already stretched the canvas, it'll be hanging on the main wall, ready to be worked on. I'll usually start with some sort of preliminary sketch before doing an underpainting. From that point on, there is constant back and forth between my table of paints and brushes and the canvas. While I'm painting with a certain color, my mind is thinking of the next color to grab from the table and on and on in a kind of manic episode of to and fro until the next color doesn't immediately come to me, and I step back. Sometimes, I can paint for an hour nonstop without stepping back. I get soinvolved with the process, and nothing else seems to matter. Usually, by the end of the day or session, I walk away so I can return to that work the next day and walk in on it with new eyes. Stepping away completely like that gives me a better idea of what's working and what isn't, and I'm able to let go of things I once thought I couldn't live without. I'm usually able to repeat that process more or less and come to a completion of the work, but if not, I'll put the work aside for the time being and start something new, and, one day, the puzzle will solve itself, and I'll know what I need to do to finish that piece. Sometimes, I can finish a work in one sitting. Magic happens. It can also be months before that happens, but it's something that can't be forced.
Willard, Acrylic, 24x20 in, 2024 © Patrick Walsh
Your paintings often feature a monochromatic palette. What draws you to this limited use of color, and what effect do you hope it has on your viewers?
The idea of a monochromatic palette came to me right before falling asleep, as most ideas usually do for me. I drew up a whole vision in a sketchbook around midnight with no real knowledge of what the work was supposed to mean. It wasonly through the process and sitting with the work that I began to understand what it was trying to say. Ultimately, I think the limited use of color forces the viewer to look closer into the work. It takes away contrasts in color. I focused on close-up views of nature and appreciated all of the elements that are so often overlooked. I wanted the viewer to stop and reallylook at the painting. I realized that a color presumed to be black was really Prussian blue, and next to that was a pthaloblue that one wouldn't notice unless they got close and took a breath and a second to realize it. It's so hard in the modern world to stop and look at the beauty and intricacies of things that are right in front of us. Everything goes too fast. We want information NOW, and we want to see the big picture and not the individuality of everything beneath it. I wanted to give that opportunity to the viewer. To stop. To Breathe. And to consider the little things that may be passing them by.
Speaking of your color palette, are there recurring colors you find yourself most drawn to? What do they mean, and how do you choose which colors to use for a specific artwork?
Well, I've done a series of monochromatic blue paintings so far, and I really appreciate the tonality I can achieve with blues. I started with a 4 foot by 7 foot yellow painting. It was tough to get any kind of tonality between the different flora in the painting. I ended up using some reds and oranges to achieve at least some depth. Although I want the viewer to have to look closely and appreciate the subtle variations in the nature right in front of them, I felt like, as the artist, I needed to be able to see depth a little better because that yellow painting just hurt my eyes to paint. The blue also is not a common color in flora. Therefore, it's immediately different. Ultimately, however, I don't put much stock into what color means because, naturally, it means something different to each person. If a color works for me, I'll use it, and if it doesn't, I don't. It's really that simple to me. I never liked the idea of telling viewers what to think or what something means. The work is either strong or not. And believe me, plenty of my work doesn't see the light of day because it's not strong enough.
Next To The Highway, Acrylic, 24x18 in, 2024 © Patrick Walsh
Highway Goldenrod, Acrylic, 30x24 in, 2024 © Patrick Walsh
In your artist statement, you mention that your work reflects the individuality within nature and humanity. How do you explore this theme through your work?
There's a multitude of commonalities between nature and humanity. When we observe a landscape, we tend to take in the big picture, not observing the elements of that landscape that make it unique. That makes it beautiful. It's what we often do with people, too. They're taken at face value and generalized rather than appreciated for their individuality. There are so many physical characteristics in human beings that make them beautiful and one of a kind. Beyond that, there's a spiritual and emotional level that is rarely observed, considered, or appreciated. There's a parallel between nature and human beings that I've come to realize and attempt to emphasize in my work. That's why, for instance, I focus on smaller, close-up elements of the natural world rather than the vast, open landscape. Focussing on and showing the small details of a given space in nature helps bring the attention of the viewer to elements that would otherwise go unnoticed. I've made these parallels through the process of painting. It wasn't a theory I set out to prove with the work rather than an important observation I've made through it.
Ultimately, what are the most important messages or feelings you hope people take away from your work?
Slow Down. I hope viewers walk away from my work with the intent to be more mindful. More present in their lives and the lives of others. To recognize that there's beauty in the details. And it's happening all the time right under our noses.
Lastly, are there any upcoming projects or exhibitions you're excited about or new themes you're eager to explore in your future work?
I've recently started seeking out and utilizing a more natural palette and deviated from the monochromatic work. While still utilizing elements from the monochromatic blue paintings in the shadow areas of this recent work, I'm having fun utilizing greens and yellows more common in nature. I'm still dealing with similar themes and ideas; connecting the individuality and beauty in the detail of human beings with that of the natural world, but expanding the palette. Which, in turn, opens up new opportunities and keeps me excited about the work.
Artist’s Talk
Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.
