Lesley Smitheringale Fine Art

Featured Artist - Patrick Christie

Patrick Christie was born in 1968 in Narrandera, a small rural town in the Riverina region of NSW.  At an early age, his parents and school teachers became aware of his artistic aptitude and at the age of ten he was enrolled in a weekly art class at the local TAFE where he worked mostly with pencil, pen and ink.

At the same time, he also attended weekend painting classes with a local artist where he focused on painting with oils. The classes were small and Patrick’s classmates consisted mostly of mature aged ladies and men pursuing a hobby, so he began private tuition in oil painting from John Burrows, a practicing local artist.

“15 bugs” ink on paper

“Waratah” ink on paper

Patrick spent many school holidays and weekends travelling statewide to attend workshops and weekend classes with the respected artist Lance McNeil. At the age of 13, Patrick attended a week-long school at the Charles Sturt University in Bathurst studying oil painting, understanding the use of colour and tone, painting still life subjects, landscapes and taking life study classes.

By the time Patrick was 15, he’d exhibited in many group shows and received numerous awards that resulted in a good level of sales; however, the pressure and expectations became overwhelming and Patrick moved away from his art.

In his early twenties, Patrick returned to his love of art and travelled through Europe, making London and Rome his base for three years while he studied the artists and art in the scores of galleries, museums and churches of Europe. For the next thirteen years, Patrick slowly worked to nurture his talent and refine his style to emerge with a consistent body of heavily detailed and richly textured illustrations.

DOUG WRIGHT & PATRICK CHRISTIE INK exhibition currently on at the Green Wood Gallery, Victoria, Australia from Thursday 27 November 2008 to Sunday 7 December 2008