Remi Patton ’20 sold four of her paintings in the “We’ve Always Been Here” art show at the Band of Vices art gallery Sept. 14. This event marked Patton’s first time selling her pieces. Two were paintings of Adam and Eve and the other two were titled “Seventh” and “Portrait of a Woman”. The general theme of all four was putting people of color into the art historical narrative, Patton said.

“The woman who bought [my painting] is herself an artist; that experience made it even better,” Patton said.

Patton said she was very excited that someone connected to her artwork and wanted to bring it to their home. She said she is also appreciative of the buyer for giving her painting more exposure.

“The piece itself was something I had made after a slump where I was low on inspiration, so knowing that she liked it helped me get some of my confidence back,” Patton said.

Passion for art

Patton started drawing when she was seven years old, and began painting during her freshman year.

She said she spends her free time painting in the art classroom, the place where she feels happiest, most relaxed and productive.

“I love art because it’s such a universal language,” Patton said. “Beautiful paintings speak to people regardless of cultural barriers and can at times bring people closer together. Also, I find human achievement endlessly interesting and paintings are so exemplary of the amazing things humans can do.”

Patton favors figurative painting because she finds human dynamic to be extremely intriguing, she said.

In her work, she also explores ethnic diversity and concentrates on representation as part of her subject matter, she said.

“I think art is one of the most important ways we record history because it offers a look into the inner workings of people’s minds throughout the ages in ways that straight historical records and photos can’t,” Patton said. “It portrays raw humanity in a way no other medium is able to.”