A barebones bio of Geneva Patterson
Geneva grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. After being graduated from Central High - early, at 16 - where she was already recognized for her art, she studied art at Hadley Vocational School for two and a half years ("one of the finest, most elaborate, and most luxurious vocational schools for whites," recalls Judge Theodore McMillian). She then worked nine years as a commercial artist for the International Shoe Company. She became active in the St. Louis Artists' Guild, soon qualified for the Artists' Section, and at various times served on its board. After leaving International Shoe, Geneva turned her efforts entirely to fine arts. She was active in other artists' societies, serving as president of the Society of Independent Artists of St. Louis, being an active member of St. Louis Women Artists and the Ruth Kelso Renfrow Club. She organized and served as juror on outdoor art exhibitions, and she worked with the Craft Alliance Gallery.
G and her husband Don both love to travel, and took several trips each year, providing scenes and inspiration for many paintings.
Geneva and Don relocated to Hilton Head Island in 1980 when he retired. There, she served on the board of the Hilton Head Art League and was president of the Friends of the Library. She participated yearly in the Evening of the Arts, and was a member of the Beaufort Art Association and the Sea Pines Community Center. On Hilton Head, she held a solo and a two-artist exhibition, and showed annually with the Low Country Artists. Geneva attended Spring Made Beach watercolor workshops as well as workshops on the island. She has received many commissions and been accepted into juried exhibitions.
In 2002, Geneva and Don relocated to Vero Beach, Florida. With no current local gallery affiliation, we rely on the internet to share her art. Her works are in many private collections, and many paintings can be seen (and in some cases, purchased) at her daughter's bed and breakfast inn, Heaven Scent, east of Richmond on Virginia's Middle Peninsula.
