“I work with other artists at Gateway Arts. I enjoy working here because it’s fun and everyone here has great ideas. Have faith in yourself and you will accomplish anything”
Artist Patrick Shea in conversation with Art et al.’s Lisa Slominski
Portrait of Patrick Shea at Gateway Arts (courtesy Art et al.)
Art et al. co-founder Lisa Slominski, interviewed artist Patrick Shea while visiting the supported studio, Gateway Arts in March 2023.
Gateway Arts in Brookline, Massachusetts, is an internationally acclaimed studio art center, gallery, and store supporting meaningful lives and careers in art for adults with disabilities. For nearly fifty years Gateway Arts has nurtured the creative talents of artists with diverse diagnoses, strengths and needs.
Gateway is dedicated to providing individualized, arts-based services to adults with disabilities, and supporting meaningful lives and careers in art.
Volcano (2023) colored pencil and acrylic paint on wood panel, 12x16”
Lisa: Hello Patrick, my name is Lisa and I am an art curator. How long have you have coming to Gateway Arts?
Patrick: 2015.
And how often do you come to the studio?
Everyday.
Can you tell me about the artwork you're working on?
Today, it's a volcano.
And is the photograph of a volcano part of your artwork or is it a reference?
I’m copying.
What will the volcano look like when it’s done? What’s the next step?
I'm going to paint it. First, you draw it with coloured pencils. And then the second phase is finding the paint colours.
What was your inspiration for the volcano?
I love volcanoes. The lava. The colour.
So what's your typical day in Gateway Arts like?
It’s good. I mainly do skyscrapers.
Can you tell me more about the different skyscrapers in your cityscape drawings?
This is Chicago. I went to Chicago.
Did you like it? I used to live there.
Yeah. I don't call it the Willis Tower, I still call it the Sears.
Me too.
Shea City (2023), paint marker and ink on foam core, 12x30”
Tell me more about your buildings. I read you sometimes draw them from memories or places you've travelled?
Yeah. And I have fictional cities.
That sounds really cool. Can you tell me anything about the fictional cities?
Well, it's basically the city’s named, my last name, Shea. So I made a fictional city called Shea City.
And what's in Shea city?
Everything
Is the Sears Tower in Shea City?
Sometimes.
Do your volcano drawings relate to Shea City?
No. No volcanoes in my city.
Can you talk me through a map you drew of Shea City? And how do you spell Shea city? I think I spelt it wrong.
How do you spell my last name?
I spelt it S-H-A-Y. Well, in my mind.
There's two ways to spell it, actually three ways to spell Shea: S-H-E-E, S-H-A-Y, and S-H-E-A.
Shea City (detail)
So Shea City is a pretty big city?
Yeah, it’s the largest in the world. It’s bigger than New York. I did put New York in there somewhere.
And I see London Derry on the map of Shea City too
And that's my city I live in now. Well, I lived in Winthrop for 35 years.
And all of these places that are mapped out in Shea City, do they all relate to you somehow?
Like, my cousins lived in New York City, so I put New York City down. And then put other towns and cities.
I mostly do architectural art, but the thing is, I'm afraid of heights, and I think it's a good coping skill.
To draw the tall buildings?
Yeah.
So have you been to the top of the Sears Tower?
Yeah.
So you overcame your fear?
Yeah.
That’s great.
Here is a drawing of the subway of New York City.
So you sometimes do transportation paintings too?
Yeah.
Bob Ross via Instagram @bobross_thejoyofpainting
Do you have a favourite artist?
Bob Ross. I like him.
I like him, too. What do you like about Bob Ross?
He's very quiet. When he does his artwork.
He's very calming. Do you like watching his videos?
Yeah.
Thanks so much for talking to me today Patrick. I really like Shea City.
Thank you.
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Banner image is Shea City by Patrick Shea.