a) My name is Dane Patterson. I’m an artist, and I live and work in New York City. My work takes on a variety of mediums ranging from highly rendered graphite drawings and painting to pieces utilizing audio recording.
q) When did you really get into art?
a) I became interested in art through my father who is also an artist. I grew up watching him make art and was surrounded by his work. I started drawing and making artwork at a very young age.
q) How did you come to the realization that you should try your luck at art on a more serious level?
a) I suppose I realized I wanted to become a professional artist because I have enjoyed making and looking at artwork from a very young age, and it helped that I had very positive feedback from my friends, my family, and my teachers.
q) How did you discover the particular style that you have?
a) My current work is dominated by photorealistic drawings. As an undergraduate I worked with mezzotint printmaking, and I began to appreciate photorealism in a variety of mediums. I have also applied this method to paintings, but I feel most strongly connected with drawing as a medium.
q) How would you describe your style?
a) That’s hard to say. Much of my work is photorealist, so I suppose that’s my predominant style. It tends to be a very tedious and obsessive method. Much of my other work is in opposition to the tedium of this style. I also make collages and sound pieces which are more free form and quick. I have always felt that this is an important balance to maintain.
q) Who or what influences your art?
a) My work is influenced by my immediate environment. The people, places, objects, and images that I see every day have the strongest influence over my work. I’m very interested in conceptual art, and I try to see as much contemporary art as I can.
q) How often do you create a new piece?
a) I generally work on a few drawings at once, and I try to work in the studio every day. My drawings can take quite a long time to complete. I am working now on a group of large scale drawings, and they take around one month to complete. Some pieces I finish in a day.
q) What kind of success have you had with your art?
a) During my second year as a graduate student, I showed some drawings at The Proposition, a gallery in New York City, and shortly thereafter, I had my first solo show there in 2005. They continue to represent me, and my second solo show took place there in 2007. Recently, I have begun showing with Galerie Bertrand & Gruner in Geneva, Switzerland.
q) What would be the ultimate goal for you and your art?
a) My foremost goal is to stay excited by my work, and I would ultimately like to be financially self sufficient as an artist.
q) What do you see as an accomplishment in the way of art?
a) Making a piece that I really enjoy and appreciate that I continue to appreciate years after its completion.
q) What kind of message, if any, do you try to convey through your art?
a) Each piece has a different message. I don’t have an overarching intention in my work.
q) Sum up your art in one word. a) I don’t have an answer for that question.
