Pat Adams facts for kids

Pat Adams, born on July 8, 1928, is a famous American artist. She creates modern paintings and art using different materials. She is also part of the National Academy of Design, which is a big honor for artists.

About Pat Adams

Early Life and Education

Pat Adams was born in Stockton, California. She loved art and studied at many great schools. She earned her first degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1949. Later, she took more art classes in California and Chicago.

In 1950, Pat moved to New York City. There, she learned from famous artists like Max Beckmann at the Brooklyn Museum Art School.

Teaching and Travel

In 1956, Pat won a special scholarship called a Fulbright scholarship. This allowed her to study art in France. She traveled with her husband, Vincent Longo, who is also an artist.

Pat Adams also shared her knowledge by teaching art. She taught at Bennington College for many years, from 1964 to 1993. She was also a visiting professor at Yale University from 1990 to 1994.

Pat Adams' Art Style

Pat Adams' art mixes modern ideas with abstract shapes. Abstract art doesn't show things exactly as they look. Instead, it uses colors, shapes, and lines to create feelings or ideas.

She describes her style as focusing on "qualities" and "matter" more than just naming things. She feels her art helps release "more than we know." It's like her paintings are always reaching for new ideas and visions.

Exhibitions and Recognition

First Shows

Pat Adams had her very first solo art show in 1954. It was at the Korman Gallery in New York, which later became the Zabriskie Gallery. She had many shows there, about 20, between 1954 and 1997.

Other Exhibitions

Her art was also shown in many other places. These included the Fleming Museum in Vermont and the Rutgers University Art Gallery in New Jersey. In 1993, she became a member of the National Academy of Design. This is a special group that honors top American artists.

Art in Collections

Many important museums and universities own Pat Adams' artwork. Some of these include:

• Whitney Museum of American Art in New York
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.
• Yale University in Connecticut
• Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York

What Critics Say About Her Art

When Pat Adams had her first solo show, the New York Times newspaper described her art as "quiet, but intense." They said her abstract paintings were "filled with lyrical allusions," meaning they hinted at beautiful ideas. One painting, Ribbons of Breath (1954), used bright, swirling colors.

Later, art experts said her work showed a desire to make what you see feel real. In 1960, Dore Ashton wrote that Pat Adams' art explored nature and the universe. She compared Adams to artists who look for the "inmost secrets of the universe."

Hilton Kramer, another art critic, noted that Pat Adams has a "mystical temperament." He said she was very creative at showing "delicate perceptions and inward feelings." He also mentioned that her paintings "fill the eye with an almost hypnotic bath of completely delightful visual detail."

In 2003, Pat Adams showed new paintings at the Zabriskie Gallery. These paintings had rough textures and basic shapes. One painting, What Follows (2003), was described as a "soft, dusty mist" that seemed to float and shift.

In 2005, there was a special exhibition to celebrate 50 years since her first show. Critics continued to praise her work. Her painting Sweetness (1990) was said to show many different possibilities in the mind. Her newer painting, Be/Hold (2004), was noted for drawing the eye to its detailed surfaces. Overall, Pat Adams is seen as "one of the most important abstract painters working today."

Awards and Honors

In 1995, Pat Adams received the Vermont Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. This award recognized her amazing contributions to art.