Meet Patrice Cameron

We recently connected with Patrice Cameron and have shared our conversation below.

Patrice, so glad you were able to set aside some time for us today. We’ve always admired not just your journey and success, but also the seemingly high levels of self-discipline that you seem to have mastered and so maybe we can start by chatting about how you developed it or where it comes from?

Within.
Early in life I was directed what to do, by others. As a young woman stepping out into the world, my own choices became chaos, so I sampled my way to organizing thoughts and actions with satisfying results. ‘How’ to live became my focus and training myself was the goal.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

The family was stunned. They determined I would marry well or pursue an education in art school. My decision to enter nursing and move to the Pacific Northwest did not fit their plan for me. But, this was an authentic reflection of how I was growing.

I had an incredible career in the ‘healing arts’ and balanced the challenges and stress with watercolor painting. I knew I was a creator and sometimes would wonder who I would be in the art world. Nursing gave me all it promised: intellectual opportunities, financial stability, and a means to utilize my deep well of compassion.

Today I live with my husband, Bill, and spaniel in Portland, Oregon, creating art in my studio which overlooks the forest and stream. A year ago I entertained a thought. At age 71 I made the decision to enter a one year intensive art school program, online, utilizing my life experiences, discipline and knowledge to focus on this course. I am not sure if ‘focus’ is the correct word as there were days Bill would come into the studio and ask, “Are you going to eat today?”

I completed the Mastery program early and graduated from the Milan Art Institute. I have experienced my dream of art school! I now work in oils on canvas and am pursuing an exciting art career in the era of social media.

Some of you may find the next topic I write about, novel. Many view artists as creatives who easily and skillfully produce fabulous works of art because, well, that’s who they are! It is true that many have a propensity towards the visual arts but how well and what they choose to create depends on…knowing themself. Artists infuse their work with meaning as they attune their temperament to the art they create.

I have always appreciated abstracted shapes and colorful multimedia compositions Having watched
many masterful videos of works in progress, I was very eager to jump into the abstract painting section of the art course… and made one mess after the other! I joined Bill on the deck for lunch one afternoon and burst into tears, announcing that I was a failure as an artist because I couldn’t paint abstractly!

I soon would learn that I am systematic and accurate, and am drawn to traditional processes and mediums. I actually put my paint on my palette the same way every time. I learned that the artwork I am attracted to is not usually the art I can create.

Knowing who I am allows me to be who I am.

I began to daydream about nature and women, My dreams placed my women in fantasy backgrounds, as I found reality too limiting for me. I began to infuse them with strong values and characteristics I admired and made up stories about who they were. My women were all experiencing their own Bold Journeys and were warriors for good, compassionate healers, playful, protective, and transforming their lives! And then I would paint them.

I have completed a body of work. Twenty 24x30x1.5 paintings of strong uplifting woman art which will all show together in my solo show at Providence Portland Medical Center Community Gallery, in Portland Oregon from February 1-April 19, 2025.

I look forward to standing in the middle of my Ladies and introducing each story to viewers.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

This is one of those questions I have hoped to answer in my life.

I’ve done the work, made the mistakes, reevaluated each experience, and have moved forward, always forward. This life process is so valuable, I would never deny anyone the pain and excitement it offers.

I would suggest discovering yourself. This knowledge is deep within you and only needs to be excavated. I found nature hikes helpful.

Discovery is exciting but will mean nothing until you develop your plan on how to achieve, and then take the steps to consistently do it. Practice discipline until it serves you.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

Art is not functional
Art is essential to ones spirit.
Art is a powerful force that can evoke emotion, stimulate critical thinking, reflect values, inspire, and enrich humanity.

My ideal client values that which cannot be measured; such as love, beauty, enrichment, inspiration. They are in touch with, and treat themselves, to time spent absorbing other’s creations, that in return affect their sensibilities.

My ideal client also has spendable income.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.patricecameronfineart.com
• Instagram: patricecameronarts