Transforming Ashes into Beauty
Geraldine Zialcita
Like an onion, Patrick King unravels layers of his being, revealing pieces of himself through his artworks―communicating to your soul and expressing his vulnerability in its most unadulterated form—depicting life, beauty, pain, and everything in between.
Patrick was born in El Paso, Texas, then moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. As a child, he felt a substantial need to be outdoors surrounded by nature which tremendously inspired him, foreseeing an artist in the making. “I was fascinated with the ocean, desert, and forest. I also admired the city, urban space, and landscape. Channeling this desire and curiosity into a painting was easy and natural for me. I believe this has been what I’ve always wanted to do and recognize how fortunate I am to have fulfilled my dream,” he shares.
Patrick draws inspiration from anything and everything bearing no limitations as to where his creativity will transport him to. Once something sparks his interest, an idea is formed which eventually gives birth to works or a body of work. “For me, inspiration evolves into a theme and once that specific concept captures my attention, I obtain a deep yearning to explore more. A body of work, much like its inspiration, will have a beginning, a life of its own, and an ending. A moment, a thought, or an experience that captivates me, may find its way into my paintings,” he conveys.
Patrick started painting at an early age, yet only realized in college that his childhood hobby was the gateway to a meaningful career. To hone his craft, Patrick pursued further studies and acquired his MFA from San Francisco Art Institute. “My family didn’t encourage me to engage in an art career, but the guidance of some notable artists and faculty paved the road that led me to embrace contemporary art as my method. I realized this is what I wanted and more importantly needed to do. I have always created art in some form but never had an opportunity to learn and study art in great detail. The world of contemporary art resonated with me which was truly a defining moment,” he informs.
Patrick considers his artwork to be large drawings and mark-making and less about painting and paint strokes. “I feel I’m able to experience and create a presence that feels right for what it is I’m trying to convey. I paint with my hands and my work is very colorful but I don’t use any oil color from tubes. I use dry pigments, oil sticks, and largely anything considered drawing materials with a ton of titanium white. The only brushes I own are two-inch disposables and I don’t use solvents. The process involves using my hands to work the pigment into the surface, drawing, scratching, rubbing, and removing. I work and rework each painting. This may go on for weeks and months. Each piece becomes very layered. I also use text words and sentences in the work. I love words . . . words move me . . . words inspire me . . . Some of these words I have a personal connection too, while others are simply there for composition. There are many layers to my paintings―both literally and metaphorically,” he expresses.
Art evokes a powerful emotion that reaches the depth of one’s soul. Using his creative expression, Patrick acknowledges that he is an emotional painter who feels empathy toward his work and others as well. “I most certainly would consider myself a visceral artist and not much of a cerebral one. Art is what drives me and it serves as an outlet to process and reconcile emotion. Emotion brings life to my work and since I invest a lot of time and effort in my paintings, I am very passionate about what I do. I need to be fully, emotionally involved in my work,” he says.
Known to be a private person, Patrick rarely divulges that he is an artist, yet his paintings communicate directly to your soul. “I’m curious, inquisitive, and prefer to know the details of people’s lives. I collect and absorb then give back through my paintings.” He smiles. While every artist has their own process and timeline to complete a painting, Patrick is at his sharpest during the morning and his work is never done until it has left his studio. He may revise or paint over the artwork while he dabbles painting four pieces at a time. “Working on multiple pieces allows the work to feed off and influence each other. An emblem of one piece can transfer to another painting to form a cohesive body of work,” he briefs.
Over the years, Patrick appreciates being a great painter and a wonderful father recognizing the values of becoming an artist aren’t that different from anything else in life. They both require hard work, perseverance, and being passionate about what you want to do. “Spending time with my five-year-old twins Jemma and James are life’s greatest blessings. I will always treasure how precious they are and how lucky I am to have them.” He beams with pride.
Five years ago, Patrick encountered a horrific tragedy that no parent should ever face―the death of his three-year-old daughter, Jacqueline who succumbed to cancer. “These last few years have been a great challenge which almost destroyed me—literally. After my daughter’s death, I was not able to enter my studio or paint. Being alone with the grief of this magnitude was unbearable. For the first time in my life, the solitude of being an artist was too much for me. I considered quitting making art,” he reveals.
After the death of his daughter, Patrick’s existential part of his being compelled him to uncover meaning, hope, and healing. He searched and recognized the often overlooked areas like empty lots and abandoned warehouses that surrounded his studio which is nestled in the industrial part of San Francisco. “I wanted to find purpose and recognize that life is precious―life wants to be seen—a desire to survive. This is self-reflection and content for paintings are unseemly self-portraits. I find the juxtaposition of beauty and death captivating. I see beautiful flowers growing in an environment not suitable for life—a daisy wanting to be noticed, or a delicate flower struggling to survive. No matter how beautiful life is, it doesn’t prove to be easy. The sublime is not always how it may seem, beneath the beauty lies pain and longing. I attempt to capture this underlying theme in my work—that life is bittersweet. My artwork may appear happy, vibrant, and whimsical in a subtle form, but if you take a closer look to understand the deeper meaning, you will witness the presence of sorrow and darkness. ‘Her brittle heart, her little heart, nothing last forever’ and ‘No hearing, no moving, no color, just silence’ are a few examples of text that have been spelled out in my pieces,” he imparts.
Patrick realized that his studio was where he was most able to process and deal with the loss of Jacqueline. His studio served as a sanctuary for healing with his art as an outlet to survive. As he gradually picked up the pieces, Patrick knew that during these solemn moments was where he always felt Jacqueline’s light and love―an angel watching over him. Patrick’s recent exhibition was held last December 2021. Chasing Angels showcased seventeen of his artworks―his tribute to Jacqueline. “I have painted the last few years with Jacqueline in my mind and heart. Chasing Angles, my artwork series was used to honor Jacqueline and her presence. Being in my studio and using my art as a means to heal led me to become a, somewhat, healthy happy person again,” he divulges.
When he’s not painting, Patrick spends time with his wife who is a prestigious plastic surgeon, and the twins.
Patrick’s keen eye, wide perception, and ability to decipher a gem that needs to polished describe a deeper purpose and greater meaning of life. His ethereal paintings define the disparity between light and darkness, joy and sadness, pleasure and pain integrated to produce beauty and justify life. Patrick King symbolizes the window that perceives unorthodox subjects which connects the yin and yang so he can transform ashes into beauty.
Photo Credits:
PATRICK KING
Creative Director: HEIDE BETZ @heidebetz
Fashion Stylist: BARBARA LEE SYCIP @bsycip
Writer: GERLADINE ZIALCITA @geraldineauthor
Art Director: NIGEL JOHN DEL MUNDO @nigeldelmundo
Photographer: VINCENT GOTTI @vinniegotti