CURTIS PATTERSON
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, sculptor Curtis Patterson’s parents instilled in him a strong sense of discipline, balance and spirituality. Being the grandson of a master carpenter fostered a deep affinity for working with his hands. With this solid foundation, Patterson earned his BA in Art Education from Grambling State University, an HBCU listed on the African American Heritage Trail. After time spent in secondary education, he earned his MFA from Georgia State University in Atlanta and was the first African American to receive an MFA in Sculpture from GSU. His practice has moved from painting, wood, and ceramics toward cast iron and large-scale, fabricated corten steel sculpture. Patterson was a faculty member at The Atlanta College of Art from 1976 to 2007. He entered the realm of large-scale, public work with Cometh the Sun commissioned by the City of Atlanta’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs. His work includes commissions and permanent public sculpture installations in several prominent cities in the United States including: Atlanta, Georgia, Columbus, Ohio, St. Paul, Minnesota, Shreveport, Louisiana and Dallas, Texas.
