About Patrice

Artist Statement

Painting connects me to the world, to the people in it, and to my inner self. Some people connect through words, some through music, some through movement; I am a visual connector.

I strive to bring others into connection with themselves through my paintings and through teaching watercolor classes.

Paintings often tell stories. Some stories are clear right away, others unravel slowly the longer you look at them. I paint both kinds of stories and often include a "key" to understanding my thoughts.

We live in a lush, beautiful, BUSY world and don’t always take time to enjoy it. During the busy times, and during the quiet times, having one of my images in your home or office can remind you of YOUR connection to something larger in life than the daily grind.

My intention is to paint the love, the energy, and life force of my subject so that you feel it when you look at my paintings. Your feeling can help you to connect with your inner self, reminding you of all that you are, and of all that you have to offer the world.

Bio

Born in a small Wisconsin town, Patrice moved to Hawai`i in the year 2000 to follow her dream of being a full time, professional artist.

Before her move, Patrice regularly awoke before dawn to paint, draw, or sculpt before going to work as the Creative Services Manager for a Library Supply company.  

Once in her tiny apartment in Honolulu, she realized the need to overcome her fear of watercolor and switch from painting with oils to painting with watercolors.

Many oil painters will tell you that they find watercolors intimidating. Patrice relishes the challenge of the capricious, unpredictable movement of her new medium.

Today Patrice paints, teaches, and markets her art full-time. She teaches watercolor classes at the Honolulu Museum of Art, privately, and in workshops across the country.

Teaching others to paint is extremely satisfying. Seeing the joy that other’s experience is very rewarding. It reminds her of her love for the magic of discovery — a key reason she paints.

Patrice holds a BS in Art Education from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She is a signature member, trustee, and past president of the Hawai’i Watercolor Society. Her art has been in numerous exhibits in the U.S., earned many awards, and is collected by fans worldwide.

Every painting comes from her heart. A sale, for Patrice, is a testimony of her ability to connect with other people. That connection is the “Spirit of Aloha” that brought her to the islands. Every painting expresses her Aloha.

Please visit her portfolios to the right of this page. Clicking on the portfolio brings up a page of thumbnail images. Enlarge an image by clicking on it. There you will find a narrative about the painting along with information on availability of originals and Giclée prints on paper or canvas.

A Giclée Print is a Fine Art Print made using archival inks and printed on archival substrate (either paper or canvas). I employ a photographer and a printer to create these to ensure their quality is the best possible. In fact local galleries have asked who prints my giclées because they have been so impressed with their quality.

Creating Art: A Metaphor for Living Life

By Patrice A. Federspiel

It’s been said that art is the visual expression of the human experience. Art can also be a metaphor for life. If you pay attention, you’ll notice the practice of art mirrors the living of life in many ways. As such it can be used as a tool for self-expression, self-transformation, and self-exploration. By consciously watching the way you work, you have the opportunity to view the way in which you interact with the rest of the world — on a microscopic level.

Your first relationship is with yourself. YOU are the most important element in all your creative endeavors. Always remember this! Remember this before, during, and after your projects.

Your whole body comes into play when you create. You use it to move around your subject matter and your piece, to think up your ideas, to moderate your time spent, and to critique your work. Please remember to use it to enjoy and encourage your work as well. You have an eye for what feels right and what doesn’t. Use your heart when making decisions as well as your eyes. Use the eye of your heart to watch the five year old within you paint. Then feel and encourage her/his joy in the work as you create.

To read more or to download the full essay Click Here.

Resumé

One-Person Exhibitions:

6/09–7/09, Friends & Mentors, Pauahi Tower, Honolulu, HI
8/08–Present, Wine, the Experience, Honolulu, HI
3/08–4/08, Che Pasta Restaurant, Honolulu, HI
11/05–1/06, Heart Works, Roy’s Restaurant, Honolulu, HI
11/04–12/04, Gallery on the Pali Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
7/04–9/04, Growing a Dream, Roy’s Restaurant, Honolulu, HI
2/03–4/03, When Flowers Speak, Roy’s Restaurant, Honolulu, HI

Group Exhibitions:

11/21, YIn Mn Blue Exhibit, Tiffany’s Art Agency, Hawi, HI
10/21, Hawai`i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Downtown Art Center, Honolulu, HI
4/21, Hawai`i Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibit, Downtown Art Center, Honolulu, HI
10/20, Hawai`i Watercolor Society Transparency in Translation Open Exhibit, Honolulu Museum of Art School, HI
10/19, Hawai`i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu Museum of Art School, HI
4/19, Celebrating Spring exhibit at Tiffany’s Art Agency, Hawi, HI
7/17, Dazzling Array Art Show at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, presented by Tiffany's Art Agency, Hawi, HI
8/16, Hawaii's Master Artists Series at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Flora & Fauna Exhibit — presented by Tiffany's Art Agency, Hawi, HI
7/16–9/16, Exploring Abstraction at Henderson Design Group — presented by Tiffany's Art Agency, Hawi, HI
4/14, Hawai`i Watercolor Society Members' Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/13, Hawai`i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/13, Hawai`i Watercolor Society Members' Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
9/12, Hawai`i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit at Honolulu Museum of Art School, Honolulu, HI
4/12, Society of Watercolor Artists Exhibit, Fort Worth, TX; Me, Me, Pick Me!
3/12, Hawai‘i Watercolor Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI; Heliconia: Ala i ka Lani
10/11, Hawai‘i Watercolor Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI; Pono
3/11, Hawai‘i Watercolor Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI; Growing Sunshine Pineapple
3/10, Hawai‘i Watercolor Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI; Pinching Pennies, award
10/09, Hawai‘i Watercolor Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/09, 3rd Annual Hawai‘i Artists Exhibit, Bethel St Gallery, Honolulu, HI
3/09, Hawai‘i Watercolor Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI; second place award
10/08, Judged, Kim TaylorReece Gallery, Honolulu, HI
9/07, Kim Taylor Reece Gallery 2007 Juried Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/07, Bethel Street Gallery 2007 Hawai‘i Artist Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/07, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/06, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/06, Bethel Street Gallery 2006 Artist of Hawai‘i Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/06, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/05, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/05, Hawai‘i Watercolor Association Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
3/05, Windward Artist Guild Member’s Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
1/05, Watercolor on the Edge 2, Honolulu Academy of Art, Linekona Gallery, Honolulu, HI
10/04, International Art Society of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, HI
10/04, Hawai‘i Watercolor Association Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
9/04, Geckos in Paradise, 5' Painted Gecko Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/04, Association of Hawaiian Artists Contemporary Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
3/04, Pua: in Celebration of Flowers, Honolulu, HI
10/03, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/03, Windward Artist Guild Exhibit, Gallery ‘Iolani, Kaneohe, HI
5/03, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
2/03, Association of Hawaiian Artists Member’s Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
11/02, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/02, Windward Artist Guild Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/02, Contemporary Realism Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
3/01, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI

Awards:

9/13, Sunshine Arts Award: Tumbling Pineapples, HWS Members' Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
8/12, voted Best Local Painter by readers of the Honolulu Weekly Paper
3/10, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Workshop Award, HWS Medmbers' Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/09, Arches Paper Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
3/09, Juror's Award, Alexander Baldwin Foundation, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit
4/07, Daler-Rowney Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/06, Arches Paper Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/05, Charlotte Huntley Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/04, Arches Paper Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/04, Honorable Mention, A.C.T. Juried Contest on Professionalism in the Arts
10/01, Honorable Mention, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
9/01, Honorable Mention, Windward Artist Guild Exhibit, Kaneohe, HI

Publications:

09/15, Aloha Expressions by Contemporary Hawaii Artists, pgs. 46–49, an award-winning coffee table book
11/08, Cover, Hawai‘i Bar Journal, Honolulu, HI
09/08, 60 @ 60: Things that can happen to your body, and what you can do about them, John M. Corboy, MD
10/07, American Art Parades, coffee table book, pg. 59
10/05, Aloha Days, Hula Nights Cookbook, Jr. League of Honolulu, HI
10/05, Mele Kalikimaka Tree Article, Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu, HI
9/04, Contributing Artist, Hawai‘i Woman Magazine, Honolulu, HI
8/04, Geckos in Paradise Article, Midweek Islander Weekly, Kaneohe, HI
4/03, Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawai‘i, Chapter Illustrations
4/02, Cover, Hawai‘i Bar Journal, Honolulu, HI

Gallery Representation:

Kai Ku Hale, Haleiwa, Oahu
Island Treasures, Kailua, Oahu
Native Books and Beautiful Things, Honolulu, Oahu
Sunshine Arts, Kahaluu, Oahu

Blue Ginger, Kailua-Kona, HI
Purple Eye, Hilo, HI
Tiffany's Art Agency, Hawi, HI

Arts Associations:

Hawai‘i Watercolor Society—President, Lifetime, Signature Member
Arts Instruction:
Online FUNdamentals of Watercolor Classes
Hide-N-Seek Watercolor Workshops
Creative Traveler: Private Watercolor Lessons

Education:

1977 University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI— B.S. Art Education