Artist Proof Interview with Artist: Patrick Fatica
Global Location: Orlando, FL USA
URL: http://patrickfatica.com/home.html
AP Shop URL: http://www.zazzle.com/faticadesigns
“Operating on the edge between street and highbrow art, Fatica’s world is dark and devoid of highbrow puffery, instead depicting a surreal, nihilistic future inspired more by David Lynch’s Eraserhead than the bright futurism explored at the 1939 World’s Fair”. -Orlando Weekly ‘09
His paintings have been called, “a sublime blend of Tim Burton and Botticelli” by the Baltimore Examiner. Patrick Fatica attended Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL from 1990 to 1994. He moved to Orlando, Florida in 1995 and spent the first few years developing a production company with a few friends called Eat Cake Productions. He went on to direct several original plays and the 16mm film “Five Miles from Heaven,” which appeared in film festivals around the country. After completing the film, he and his two business partners designed, opened and ran 2 music venues on the east side of Orlando and downtown Orlando called Back Booth. After almost a decade of traveling down different artistic paths, Patrick picked up the paintbrush again and dedicated himself to his painting.
Phoenix Sun Times said about his solo Wind-Up Gallery exhibition, “We can’t think of anything more delightful than indulging in meticulously rendered prurient fantasies. This stuff is so sweet it’s almost rotten.”
AP: How long have you been making art for and what lead you to start.
PF: I’ve drawn my whole life, and went to art school after high school. I didn’t start painting seriously until 2006.
AP: Where do you currently live and work and how does this influence your work.
PF: I currently live in Orlando FL, The good thing is of course, the weather. Not being in the center of the national scene allows me not to get caught up in the drama, but it also makes it harder to break through when you cant meet other artists and gallery owners. There is truth to the saying “It’s who you know.”
AP: Did you have formal training if so whatω If your self taught can you tell us what you prefer about being a self taught artist vs having formal training.
PF: I was classically trained at Ringling College of Art & Design. I believe that my technique is self taught. They would have never let me get away with it in school. But, there are basics that are ingrained in you at school that are difficult to learn on your own, like why certain compositions work, color theory, and how to mix paint. And most importantly I learned that art is a business, and I’m my own boss. A lot of artists tend to forget that part. Without a good foundation you get cracks. Some people can do it without school, but I wouldn’t have been able to.
AP: Can you tell us about where you make your work is it in your house, a studio etc.. and how it effects your work.
PF: I recently bought a house. It’s a 1930 bungalow. In the back there is another house that was built in the 70’s I converted that house into my studio and office. It’s nice, because I get to leave my house in the morning, walk off my back porch and into the other house, and go to work. I think it’s important to feel like your going to work, to get you in the mindset. Plus, there are no Playstation distractions, or a bed to jump on and take a nap. Since I’ve moved here, I have been a lot more productive.
AP: What are some of you favorite design projects/exhibitions you have worked on to date.
PF: There is a place in Orlando called Mother Falcon that had a Zombie themed show last year that was pretty great. In fact I’m getting ready to paint another zombie for their follow-up Zombies II in October. Any of my solo shows are my favorite. I like to have complete control of the gallery.
AP: What is your medium of choice.
PF: I paint with oils on panel
AP: What is the relationship between technique and content in your work.
PF: My technique, I start with a drawing on a white panel. I build up oil glazes that are very thin. After each glaze the painting gets sprayed with a layer of clear acrylic. I’ll apply around 40 glazes until the painting is complete. This is an ongoing process and I learn more with every painting. I think I would be producing the same type of work regardless of technique though. I have developed a style that I can apply to pretty much any medium.
AP: Who are some of the artists that have inspired you and or your work.
PF: There are so many. Lori Early, Tara McPherson, Tom Bagshaw, Sylvia Ji, Camilla d’Errico,
AP: In what direction would you like to see your work going over the next five years.
PF: I would like to get looser. I’ve been experimenting with watercolors. So far nothing has stuck. But there is always tomorrow.
AP: What forth coming projects and or exhibitions do you have scheduled for 2011.
PF: I’m doing a group show at Gallery Meltdown curated by Chris Marrs Piliero called”I WANT MY MUSIC VIDEO ART SHOW”. Zombies II at Mother Falcon, and I have a solo show in November at The Peacock Room in Orlando Fl. I do a solo show every November at the Peacock Room, and this will be my 6th one. I got a lot of painting to do.
AP: Take us on a guided tour through a day in your life as an artist.
PF: I can’t paint first thing in the morning because I’m just not creative then, so I get errands out of the way. I wake up around 8am, and have coffee and check and send emails. I’ll ship out any prints or do anything business related: bank, art store etc. Then I get my hands dirty a little. I’ll work on building panel boxes, or frames, or work or gesso and sand a panel, even some light sketching. Lunch, and coffee on my back porch. After lunch I usually start painting. I work until 5 or 6, clean my brushes leave the studio, go into my house and call it a day.
AP: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions.
