Since retiring from a career as a computer programmer, Patricia has been able to indulge her love of nature and art. She chose pastels as the best medium to portray the serenity of the landscape of her native California. She draws inspiration primarily from various locales along the American River, the hills of Marin and North Lake Tahoe. However, her paintings are more an evocation of an emotional response to the transcendence found through nature than a rendering of a specific place.

Although most of her work is done in the studio she enjoys painting out in nature to hone her ability to see the light and the colors. In fact, she feels the greatest benefit she derives from painting is the way it changes how she sees the world when she is not painting. Everything is more vivid, the beauty of light and shadow in the trees, the subtlety of the color of clouds, the sparkle and reflections in water.

Patricia works in soft pastels on sanded paper or board. For some paintings she preps the surface with a texturing agent or she may create a watercolor underpainting that peeks through the pastel. She lets the painting process determine how the scene will unfold. Her goal is to create a sense of depth that allows the viewer to enter into a little moment with nature.

Patricia was accepted into the State Fair Fine Art Competition in 2016, 2018 and 2019. She was accepted into the KVIE Art Auction in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

She has been juried into local and national competitions.