Crossroads Painting

How much can you learn about an artist by looking at his creations? A look at Patrick Parise's body of work reveals a great deal about the artist's life and the passion that inspires him. Parise's bold use of color and strong compositional elements convey the intense beauty the artist sees in the world around him. With a full range of real to surreal, soft to bold, concrete to abstract, Parise's paintings invite the viewer to join his journey and awaken a desire to pursue the beautiful with him. Patrick Parise's personal journey as an artist began in his childhood. Born in Brooklyn, NY in 1952 Patrick showed an aptitude for art from an early age. "My mother was a wonderful painter but with the death of my father in 1958 she had to devote her time to working and raising four children." In high school the young artist studied under his mother and further developed his drawing, painting and composition skills. Patrick went on to study fine art at Bethany College in Salina, Kansas under Raymond Kaymeyer and then continued at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where he became interested in printmaking under the tutelage of the Art Department's distinguished professor, Boyd Saunders. After finishing his studio art courses at the University, rather than pursuing graduate studies Parise purchased a Charles Brandt Etching Press and opened his own etching studio where he started making original prints. Parise loved printmaking for the intricate compositions and diverse images he was able to achieve in his monoprints and limited edition etchings. During this period, Parise had several important commissions that would move him towards a full-time career as an artist/printmaker. However, in an effort to broaden his artistic endeavors Parise began to paint, which remains his primary focus today. "I chose to stay in Columbia to be among the artists and galleries here, to be part of the emerging art community in the Southeast," Parise explains, and "I learned to appreciate the drama of the southern landscape." Parise's path has led him to a wide range of subject matter. One canvas may depict the softly curving lines of the coastal landscape and the next might show a dynamic abstract composition. All of Parise's work invites the viewer to join in the adventure of life. "I start a story with each piece I create," Parise says, "but I allow the viewer to join me in finishing the story with his or her own experiences and emotions.