VISABLE SPECTRUM, 2023, Embroidery thread, on wool felt and upholstery fabric, Variable 7 banners @ 75 x 15 inches
SIMONE PATERSON
Artist Statement
In the embrace of the Appalachian mountains, I, a curious cis-gendered female crone born and educated in Australia, have woven a magical life in Southwest Virginia for two decades.
In what seems like a past life, I wielded the title of a tenured art professor, holding a Doctorate of Philosophy in Fine Arts from The University of Newcastle, earned in 2005, and a Master of Visual Arts in Sculpture from The University of Sydney, obtained in 1995. However, now, on a journey of authenticity, I have embraced the role of a full-time artist. As I immerse myself in the creative process, I find echoes of my mother's hands, creating connections between generations.
Meditating in the woods surrounding my studio, I witness visions of energy. These ethereal glimpses inspire my work, translating into vibrant high-stitch density embroideries—a fusion of visionary art, creative technologies, and an acknowledgment of women through the timeless medium of needle and thread.
My chosen medium, embroidery, serves as a tribute to the historically overlooked labor of women—unpaid, undervalued, yet indispensable. Each stitch in my artwork marks a point of intersection between tradition and innovation, bridging the past and the future.
My art journey has been marked by significant milestones, including solo exhibitions such as a retrospective at Olin Hall Galleries in Roanoke, Virginia, in 2023, as well as A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn, New York, and The Taubman Museum of Art in Virginia. Additionally participating in a residency at Art Space in Sydney, Australia.
I am grateful for the transformative power of each stitch in my creative process, the magic that whispers, "Be brave and be your extraordinary self."
Past Solo Exhibitions: Machine Memory + Motherboards, 2019
Past Group Exhibitions: Structure of Feelings, 2022 Fractal Nature, 2021 Forever is composed of Nows, 2020 Active directions of the mind, 2o19 Facing Disjunction,2018
Pow! New Paintings, 2017
Wish You Were Here, 2016