Patricia Cummins

“The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life,
by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life. Since man is mortal, the only immortality possible for him is to leave something behind him that is immortal since it will always move.”

   For the past twenty-eight years Pat has been a fine arts instructor for Miami-Dade Public Schools. For the past thirteen years, she has been an adjunct for Barry University’s Adrian School of Education. She has recently obtained her specialist status from MDCPS as a result of her continuous postgraduate studies. Her work has been exhibited at local venues, across the country and has also been exhibited internationally. As an art educator she was awarded a Miami-Dade Public Schools Title V Innovative Teacher Grant. She received $10,000 in federal grant funds to infuse graphic arts into Palmetto Elementary School’s curriculum in 2003. Recently the National Education Foundation awarded Pat a Learning and Leadership Grant to travel and study Art and Art Education in China. In 2006 was also a recipient of two Florida State Artist Enhancement Grants. Her solo exhibitions of 2004 included prestigious venues such as Biscayne National Park as well as Biscayne Nature Center. Her work is also part of Miami’s Art in Public Places Program, our National Parks, and the Florida State Art Collection. Her paintings are also part of private collections such as Miami Dade College and Landstar Development Corporation; Exhibitions in 2005 include a solo exhibition at the Governor’s Cabinet Meeting Room as part of Tallahassee’s prestigious Capitol Complex Exhibition Program. Pat is currently working on her next exhibition entitled “International Waters” which will be displayed at Tallahassee’s 22nd Floor Capitol Gallery in 2007. Pat has been received national recognition and has been awarded two artist residencies from our National Park system. During summer and fall of 2006 Pat traveled to Voyageurs National Park, and Hot Springs National Park, and was their artist in residence for several weeks. Pat enjoys traveling and painting on location in French cities such as Paris, Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, Nice, Honfleur and Arles, as well as at home in Jensen Beach, her weekend retreat on Hutchinson Island. She finds the natural beauty of landscape her inspiration, and focuses on the observation and rendering of natures intricate color and form.