Artist Statement
“Equilibrium is reached in my work as structural lines hold despite insistent disruptions, speaking to stability within chaos. In 2012 the work deleves into the dark beauty of those disruptions that disorient balance like an internal weather system moving though one's consciousness."
2007 Shared Motifs was a curatorial project by Suleyman Cooke in which visual connections were draw between the paintings of contemporary artist Patter Hellstrom and master prints by Miro, Chagall, and Picasso.
Internationally exhibited, Patter Hellstrom creates abstract panel paintings on polypropylene that invoke the calligraphic painting tradition while exploring the dark side of beauty. Expressive brushwork in fluid color balanced along centerlines creates a dynamic equilibrium in her acrylic ink paintings on polypropylene. Encompassing themes of impermanence, compassion, stability, and interdependence these works speak to Buddhist concepts. Each piece defined by centerlines, providing balance, and acting as a point of reference within areas of color. A graphite cross-hair element evokes a sense of detachment among a host of competing forces. Centerlines hold despite disruptions of splashed color and textured brushwork, suggesting stability within chaos and a curious interdependence between two forces.
Hellstrom's paintings are informed by her installations. Impermanence was paramount in Flower Mandala, whose components were chosen for their beautiful, yet ephemeral nature. Utilizing the Buddhist sand mandala tradition, Flower Mandala created a compassionate dialogue in the JPMorgan Chase Project Space, adjacent to the World Trade Center site. This seminal work combined the desire to visually explore traditional art forms, and embody those concepts in a contemporary art context.
Since moving west to California seven years ago, natural materials have dominated her installations while man-made materials have become prominent in her paintings.
Impermanence is relevant in the installations, with rock and glass unattached to a base, allowing material to change with forces acting upon them.
Patter's 2008 Blue Tangerine Art interview on the spirit in art
South Winds, 2007, 20" x 26" acrylic ink on polypropylene; © Patter Hellstrom