Patricia Catsimanes
Clay Sculptures for wall and pedestal
Born in Colorado and lived in the West. She came to Florida in 1961 and was associated with the Fifth Avenue Art Gallery when it was in Indialantic. Pat created a Maestro sculpture for presentation to the Brevard Symphony's outstanding symphony supporter. Her association with the gallery led her to a commission by a Melbourne Beach Restaurant, Pepper Cove, for two large copper sea grape chandeliers and numerous sconces. While in Florida she received a number of awards participating in art shows as well as the early Disney Show at Lake Buena Vista. Pat has lived in Colorado, Wyoming, Florida, Africa (Eritrea), Utah, California and finally back to Florida.

In 1978 Pat moved with her family to Plattsburgh, New York and attended college at the State University of NY graduating in 1983 magna cum laude with a BA degree concentrating in sculpture. After graduating she had a one woman show "Touch the Earth" with the Plattsburgh Council of Arts. She studied at Lake Placid NY with international ceramist Don Reitz, at the Salt Lake Art Center, and Saddleback College in San Clemente, California

Statement:
I attempt to express those experiences I had as a child growing up in the West with its unique topography and our connection to the earth. I have always admired Native American art and work done by those close to nature but was looking for my own way to express those feelings. I rarely use glazes as I prefer the natural quality of the clay. I want to look at the earth (clay) and appreciate it and its qualities in the same way that we admire marble or the beautiful wood in a piece of sculpture. Working in an abstract way and appreciating the textures of the clay enables me to look at nature and appreciate the little things such as the way the mud looks when the puddle has dried or the geology, rock formations and landscape of canyon lands More recently I have become interested in combining this medium with other material, such as metal, fiber and rocks. The inevitability of change, erosion, evolution. and element of time as it relates to my art is important to me.