Meet the Artist: Patricia E. Ortman...in her own words:"I am a retired Women's Studies professor, a Founder and the Executive Director of the Girls Gotta Run Foundation (http://www.girlsgottarun.org), and an artist (http://www.patriciaeortman.com), not necessarily in that order. There is no order, really, because all of my work informs all of my work. And, it is all prayer. My life is a prayer.
Most of my commissioned art consists of portraits (of people, places, pets) and murals that I develop in close consultation with clients. Murals come either entirely from my imagination or make use of pre-existing images which I alter as artistic needs require. I also paint abstract watercolor prayers and blessings for people or causes I want to support based on my thoughts and feelings about them. I individualize guardian angel collages for the people they are meant to protect. I also paint feminist spiritual icons, as well as flowers, still lifes, and whatever else I am moved to paint...that generally means anything that is beautiful to me. I know it is not hip in the official art world these days, but my feeling is:
'....if eyes were made for seeing, Then Beauty is its own excuse for being.' —from "The Rhodora" by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)"
Hi Pat,
ReplyDeleteI heard about the Girls Gotta Run org. a year ago April when I attended networking day at the DC chapter of the Women's Caucus for the Arts. I wanted to participate in the fall artshow but had conflicts. I'll check your site link because I hope that the show will be an annual one.
Your artwork exudes a playfulness and joy here. I can see why clients would want murals from you. I can imagine being on that swing! (For what its worth, I enjoy many quotes and like this one. I own a mug with a different Emerson quote on it.)