Artist Statement

Paintings of sunlit landscapes, brilliant sunsets or mood pieces are what my work is about and I hope they will provoke in% the viewer a feeling, maybe a memory. I began as a teenager growing up in Jamaica, to explore my love for visual expression through experimenting with special lenses and techniques in black and white photography. They captured the magical light at the break of day at Blue Mountain Peak, the translucence of water freely moving among the river stones, the simplicity of wild orchid life high among lush branches or the barren sun-baked ruins which mark Columbus’ landing at Discovery Bay. This was my passion then, even venturing into watercolour tints for effect. It was much later, as a young mother that I began oil painting bringing to the canvas the play of light on land and water or my love of spectacle, especially Caribbean carnival. My hope is that I will elicit a certain response in those who see my art, stir a sense of recollection of what we all share in our collective subconscious, and hopefully inspire viewers to explore their own personal experiences residing within.

Biography

A Caribbean woman with a rich creative background, Patsy Mair grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, the second of four girls. A graduate in Liberal Arts, 1963 and Education, 1965, her talent for visual art was given expression in the 1970s under the tutelage of Jamaican master artist, George Rodney and in 1996 she gained the Diploma in Master Art from the International Correspondence School, Scranton, Pennsylvania.

From 1964 to 1986 she taught History and Spanish at secondary level and Communication Skills at tertiary level. Later, she specialized in Training and Development at the workplace as a Human Resource Development practitioner. During those years she exhibited primarily oil and acrylic artwork in solo, joint and group shows in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, winning Bronze Medals in the annual Jamaica Cultural Development Commission National Fine Art Competition and was honoured to be awarded second place in the ‘Cariflora’ Fine Arts Exhibition at King’s House, Jamaica, 2002. Further development include painting workshops by Alexander Cooper and Samere Tansley, 2001 and watercolour painting in Venice and Tuscany, Italy, 2007. Among her significant group exhibitions are Art ’09 International Art Festival, Toronto, Canada, 2009, ‘Impulses of the Jamaican Soul’ Arta Gallery, Toronto, Canada, 2008, ‘Tea Glorious Tea’, Revolution Gallery, Jamaica 2006 and 2005, ‘Celebration of Jamaican Art’ National Gallery, Trinidad and Tobago, 2005; joint exhibition, ‘Recognition’, Gallery ‘K’, Jamaica 1999 ; solo exhibition, Braco Resort, Jamaica, 1997. As a member of the Jamaica Guild of Artists, she participates throughout the year in group exhibitions at the Jamaica Guild of Artists’ Gallery at Oakton House, Half-Way-Tree, Jamaica.

Thank you for visiting PatsyMair Gallery - Patsy Mair, Artist.

Prints of ocean

Fine Art Prints

Prints on canvas

Jamaican Wall decor

Floral prints