Featured Artist Patricia Bingham

Enter the whimsical world of artist Patricia Bingham, whose charming portfolio is inspired by childhood picture books. Visit her website to see more.

 

 

My love of art began with picture books. We had only one painting in our house when I was a child. It hung on a beige wall. Picture books provided the art I craved. In them I found what I loved: colors and animals.

 

 

As I went off to college, I was talked out of going to art school, was told art didn’t pay a living wage. So for decades I put “art” on the shelf and worked in beige offices.

 

 

I began to dabble in painting when I was in my 30’s, always trying to achieve a realistic style which eluded me. I would get frustrated and give up for months at a time, but was always pulled back in. My paintings began to get more colorful and less realistic, and I let myself enjoy the process, realizing I could only paint what I felt.

 

 

In doing so, I was paying homage to those early picture books which I loved so much. I’m lucky in a way, because the subjects for my paintings live all around me and I never lack for inspiration.

 

 

I paint my flower gardens in all seasons, and the animals and bugs who visit them, the lovely weeds that grow in spite of my best efforts. All of the family pets have appeared in my paintings as well as the neighborhood dogs. And I paint a lot of birds.

 

 

But my favorite subject and muse is my desert tortoise. She is lovely to paint because she is willing to sit still for hours. As an added layer to my paintings, I enjoy injecting a bit of humor and visual surprise. What’s better than making people smile?

 

 

My art appears in several literary magazines which delights me. I’m a wannabe writer, and my art has been sent out into the world via greeting cards and calendars.

 

Patricia Bingham invites you to follow on Facebook and Instagram. 

 

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