Embrace Your Inner Artist with Patricia Byron #72

Orlando Lady Boss

Artist Patricia Byron has been in Orlando for about 20 years now. She moved to the area after living abroad for about a decade. When she moved back to Orlando, after owning a clothing business abroad, she rediscovered her passion for visual art.

Now in addition to being a working artist, Patricia is the painting and drawing program manager for Crealdé School of the Arts. In my interview with Patrica, we discuss her love of Crealdé, where she draws inspiration, and what it’s like to be a working artist.

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A new passion in art emerged after a moved to Orlando

After living overseas for a decade, Patrica moved to Orlando. Once here, she started to dive into painting at Crealdé where she became a student. Crealde is a nonprofit community art center established in 1975. They offer workshops in all types of art disciplines. You can find classes for all different types of mediums or styles of art.

Patricia instantly fell in love and kept coming back. Over-time she took on different roles than just a student at Crealde. Eventually, she earned a fellowship spot followed by a role as a studio artist. Which then lead to a teaching position and this past year she took on the role of painting and drawing program manager.

Art by Patricia Byron

The community of artists is what keeps Patricia at Crealdé because she’s inspired by her students and other artists every day. “There are people from all walks of life,” Patricia said. “People who are coming back to painting after not painting for years or not at all.”

“What takes us there is definitely the art and the instruction. But it is the community and the people together that gives art that lasting power.”

Patricia has been creative her whole life

Patricia was very creative at a young age. Because she spent a lot of time in her parent’s antique shop, she spent plenty of time exploring little trinkets and treasures for inspiration. It allowed her creative thoughts to flow.

When she moved back to Orlando and started to explore painting more formally, she began with small watercolor pieces. At Crealdé she continued her exploration of 3D and 2D painting styles.

Over time she experimented with more mediums. Now, in addition to teaching art, Patricia is also a working artist.

Art by Patricia Byron

Inspiration can come from many places

Patricia finds inspiration all around her. “Before I became an artist, I was looking just eye-level at everything. But now I look up and down and everywhere. Once you get into it, it opens your ideas,” Patricia said.

One source of constant inspiration for Patricia is nature. Because of that love, she often takes to the various nature trails in Orlando.

In addition to nature, Patricia is inspired by other’s creativity. She loves to read and listen to podcasts for inspiration. Some of her favorite podcasts are The Savvy Painter, This America Lif and The Moth Radio Hour.

Other places inspiration is discovered comse from photography, cinema, and even travel!

Patricia wants to help other artists and creatives

Being a working artist or creative comes with different challenges sometimes than other careers. So Patricia wants to take what she has learned and help others. She plans on writing a book where she can share advice and wisdom she has gotten over the years.

Patricia_Byron_Almost_There_36X36_Acrylic

Challenges Patrica sees a lot of creatives struggle with are around time management. One reason, she says are artists who want to tackle too many projects at once. Conversely, others struggle to find time for art in their daily life. This is especially true when there is a lot of other parts to running a business around your own art.

So, in order for Patricia to keep creativity alive is to do it daily. “I try to do something creative every day. I try to have a daily habit of creativity,” she said.

If she can’t paint one day, she might pull out her art journal and do a doodle or take a picture for instance. The practice is to keep her creativity flowing. What’s important, for Patricia, is the habit of creativity that keeps her moving forward. “You have to create junk to get to the good stuff. Just keep on doing!” she told me.

Another aspect that can stop artists is their self-esteem when they think others don’t like their work. She warns to not let negative comments get to you. Art is very subjective and you need to trust yourself and your own intuition.

About Patricia Byron

Patricia Isabella Byron is an Abstract mixed-media artist, born in Naples, Florida. From an early age, her exposure to the arts became well rooted while growing up in her family-owned antique shop. Her curiosity of exotic countries landed the artist to reside in Turkey and Iran. During her travels throughout Europe and the Middle East, she became deeply captivated by the natural beauty and historical sites, that she was compelled to paint and write about the experiences. The communication conveyed through her abstract paintings tends to be a spiritual motivation, where the subject matters are a mood-evoking interplay of emotions and symbolic reflections.

While living in Iran, Byron studied at the Tehran University, School of Persian Studies & Culture, and was a member/writer at the British Library Ladies group. She has received two Editors Choice Awards from the International Library of Poetry. Patricia is a Painting & Drawing senior faculty member and Painting & Drawing Program Manager at Crealde School of Art, where she was appointed as a Fellowship Student and Studio Artist. She has been a volunteer for the ABCs Art Program at the Coalition for the Homeless. Patricia actively exhibits her work and teaches workshops at galleries and festivals, including the 2018 Epcot International Festival of the Arts. She is a teaching artist for VSA Florida, a not-for-profit organization that provides arts education, and other cultural opportunities for people with disabilities

Links from the show

Visit PatriciaByron.com

Like Patricia on Facebook

Follow Patricia on Instagram

Check out the Classes at Crealdé

Ninth Street Women

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