Born in Port Washington, WI and educated at the University of Wisconsin/Madison, Patrice Federspiel is a watercolor artist living and painting in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Patrice first visited Hawai‘i in January 2000. Within five months she had found a way to quit her job, sell her house, and move to Hawai‘i to pursue her life-long dream of living life as an artist.

Since arriving in Hawai‘i, Patrice has had solo exhibits at Wine the Experience, Café Che Pasta, and the original Roy’s Restaurant. Since 2003, she has exhibited with the Hawai‘i Watercolor Association twice annually, receiving one second place award for "Me, Me, Pick Me!", two Honorable Mentions, three Arches Paper Awards, the Charlotte Huntley Award, and the Daler-Rowney Award.

In 2004, Ms. Federspiel had the honor of being one of 50 artists chosen to participate in Honolulu’s Geckos in Paradise sculpture competition/exhibit/auction. Patrice’s gecko raised $10,000 for breast cancer research and can be seen in the recently published book, American Art Parades.

Ms. Federspiel’s award-winning painting, Growing from the Inside Out, is featured in the 2006 edition of the Junior League of Honolulu’s cookbook entitled Aloha Days, Hula Nights. Illustrations by Patrice have been published in: 60 @ 60: 60 Things that Can Happen to Your Body @ 60 and What You Can Do About Them; Hawai‘i Woman Magazine; Midweek Islander; Hawai‘i Bar Journal; and Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawai‘i.

Creating Art: A Metaphor for Living Life

By Patrice A. Federspiel

It’s been said that art is the visual expression of the human experience. Art can also be a metaphor for life. If you pay attention, you’ll notice the practice of art mirrors the living of life in many ways. As such it can be used as a tool for self-expression, self-transformation, and self-exploration. By consciously watching the way you work, you have the opportunity to view the way in which you interact with the rest of the world on a microscopic level.

Your first relationship is with yourself. YOU are the most important element in all your creative endeavors. Always remember this! Remember this before, during, and after your projects. Your whole body comes into play when you create. You use it to move around your subject matter and your piece, to think up your ideas, to moderate your time spent, and to critique your work. Please remember to use it to enjoy and encourage your work as well. You have an eye for what feels right and what doesn’t. Use your heart when making decisions as well as your eyes. Use the eye of your heart to watch the five year old within you paint. Then feel and encourage her/his joy in the work as you create.

To read more or to download the full essay Click Here.

Resumé

One-Person Exhibitions:

6/09–7/09, Friends & Mentors, Pauahi Tower, Honolulu, HI
8/08–Present, Wine, the Experience, Honolulu, HI
3/08–4/08, Che Pasta Restaurant, Honolulu, HI
11/05–1/06, Heart Works, Roy’s Restaurant, Honolulu, HI
11/04–12/04, Gallery on the Pali Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
7/04–9/04, Growing a Dream, Roy’s Restaurant, Honolulu, HI
2/03–4/03, When Flowers Speak, Roy’s Restaurant, Honolulu, HI

Group Exhibitions:

10/09, Hawai‘i Watercolor Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/09, 3rd Annual Hawai‘i Artists Exhibit, Bethel St Gallery, Honolulu, HI
3/09, Hawai‘i Watercolor Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI; second place award
10/08, Judged, Kim TaylorReece Gallery, Honolulu, HI
9/07, Kim Taylor Reece Gallery 2007 Juried Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/07, Bethel Street Gallery 2007 Hawai‘i Artist Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/07, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/06, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/06, Bethel Street Gallery 2006 Artist of Hawai‘i Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/06, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/05, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/05, Hawai‘i Watercolor Association Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
3/05, Windward Artist Guild Member’s Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
1/05, Watercolor on the Edge 2, Honolulu Academy of Art, Linekona
Gallery, Honolulu, HI
10/04, International Art Society of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, HI
10/04, Hawai‘i Watercolor Association Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
9/04, Geckos in Paradise, 5' Painted Gecko Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/04, Association of Hawaiian Artists Contemporary Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
3/04, Pua: in Celebration of Flowers, Honolulu, HI
10/03, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/03, Windward Artist Guild Exhibit, Gallery ‘Iolani, Kaneohe, HI
5/03, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
2/03, Association of Hawaiian Artists Member’s Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
11/02, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/02, Windward Artist Guild Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
4/02, Contemporary Realism Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
3/01, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibit, Honolulu, HI

Awards:

10/09, Arches Paper Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
3/09, Juror's Award, Alexander Baldwin Foundation, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit
4/07, Daler-Rowney Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/06, Arches Paper Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Open Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/05, Charlotte Huntley Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
10/04, Arches Paper Award, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
5/04, Honorable Mention, A.C.T. Juried Contest on Professionalism in the Arts
10/01, Honorable Mention, Hawai‘i Watercolor Society Member Exhibit, Honolulu, HI
9/01, Honorable Mention, Windward Artist Guild Exhibit, Kaneohe, HI

Publications:

11/08, Cover, Hawai‘i Bar Journal, Honolulu, HI
09/08, 60 @ 60: Things that can happen to your body, and what you can do about
them, John M. Corboy, MD
10/07, American Art Parades, coffee table book, pg. 59
10/05, Aloha Days, Hula Nights Cookbook, Jr. League of Honolulu, HI
10/05, Mele Kalikimaka Tree Article, Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu, HI
9/04, Contributing Artist, Hawai‘i Woman Magazine, Honolulu, HI
8/04, Geckos in Paradise Article, Midweek Islander Weekly, Kaneohe, HI
4/03, Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawai‘i, Chapter Illustrations
4/02, Cover, Hawai‘i Bar Journal, Honolulu, HI

Gallery Representation:

Robyn Buntin Gallery, Honolulu
Art Also Available at:
Global Creations, Haleiwa, HI
Island Treasures, Kailua, HI
Kuloko Arts, Honolulu, HI
Na Mea Hawai‘i, Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, HI
Native Books and Beautiful Things, Honolulu, HI
Plantation Home Decor, Kapolei, HI

Arts Associations:

Hawai‘i Watercolor Society—Signature Member, Newsletter Editor
Arts Instruction:
Artist Career Training; Art Marketing Associate
Creative Traveler: Private Watercolor Lessons
Watercolor Classes at the Kaimuki School for Adults

Education:

1977 University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI— B.S. Art Education