2012 MSAA Art Showcase Entrants

View this month’s Artist of the Month

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Cindy Patterson – Columbia, MD

Eleven years ago I developed a long list of strange symptoms which eventually made me give up work about which I was passionate. It was quite a blow to my entire sense of identity and left me looking for something to do with myself.

I have found several new ways to bring joy to my life. One of those ways was to fulfill a lifelong wish to learn to paint. Suddenly I had the time to pursue this dream. I have now set up a permanent place for my work in a corner of a room, where I try to paint several times a week. I am self-taught, with a lot of help from television and the internet. After a couple of years of experimenting, I discovered my paintings were good enough to give as gifts. How convenient!

I paint what I like to look at: landscapes. I have always loved being outdoors and used to enjoy hiking and camping, where I could admire trees, fields, and peaceful scenes. Now I take my camera whenever I travel, and I take lots of pictures through the car windows as my husband drives. Then I can enjoy the outdoor life vicariously through my paintings.

One of the sayings I have taken to heart since my journey into MS began is “When God closes a door, he opens a window.” In my case, he has opened a lot of windows, and one of those was the chance to paint.

 

Golden trees
Golden trees
 - Artwork

Hills
Hills
 - Artwork

Peaceful scene
Peaceful scene
 - Artwork