How PoeSoul Studio was created…

Let me tell you this story from the beginning. I think it will help you appreciate how special this art opening is to my husband and me. In 2019, Patrick bravely decided to leave his 20+ year career in IT infrastructure for a life of creating art. He often described feeling like he was in a “pressure cooker” all of the time, trying his best to meet the demands of his job. Patrick is a very dedicated and passionate guy wherever he directs his efforts; therefore, he felt the ginormous responsibility of thousands of users at the company he worked…24/7! Naturally, a person can only take so much stress in their daily life and Patrick was WELL BEYOND his limit. In the best interest of his mental health and overall quality of life, Patrick courageously took the leap to becoming a full-time artist. Thus, creating PoeSoul Studio.

Immediate opportunity…

Patrick officially retired from the IT field in December 2019. Thanks to a kind and generous coworker, a huge door opened for Patrick where he was introduced to Louisville Grows and their Interim Executive Director, Lisa Dettlinger. Louisville Grows is an amazing nonprofit that helps restore the tree canopy in Louisville and Southern Indiana neighborhoods. Their headquarters is in Healthy House, which also provides many services to the community: an electric car charging station, rain gardens, raised garden beds, a greenhouse, conference space, large kitchen for cooking demonstrations and classes, and an art gallery. It’s such a heart-warming space and wonderful to witness all of the goodness this agency gives back to the community. Patrick met with Lisa at Healthy House in January 2020 to discuss displaying his art in their art gallery. He was so incredibly touched by the opportunity and proud to have his artwork displayed in a place that aligns with our core beliefs. I can’t begin to described how excited we both were! What an amazing start to his new career!! The gallery was scheduled for May 2020.

The five-letter acronym that changed our world…

I don’t need to tell you what happened next. Obviously, the gallery was cancelled and would be rescheduled sometime in the future. On the bright side, this gave Patrick plenty of time to create art and get settled into his new daily routine.

In 2021, things started looking brighter in the world and talk of a gallery reception in October 2021 was in the works. Once again, COVID cases spiked and it wasn’t in everyone’s best interest to be mingling around an art gallery.

Patience definitely pays off!

During the summer of 2022, Patrick and Lisa connected again to schedule his gallery for October 7th through November 30th. Patrick immediately began diligently working to finish up some paintings he wanted to be a part of this gallery exhibit and ensuring his completed pieces were perfectly ready to display. He loves to paint and photograph nature, another reason Louisville Grows/Healthy House is a perfect fit for his art.

It’s really happening…

The gallery opening and artist reception was scheduled for Friday, October 7th from 5-7:30 pm. On the Wednesday prior, Patrick and I transported all of his paintings, water colors, sketches, and photography from his studio to Healthy House. Thankfully, we carefully wrapped each piece of art in blankets and strategically placed them in my vehicle the night before. It took us about an hour and almost every spare blanket or towel in our house! On hanging day, Mother Nature provided us with warm, sunny weather to move all of the art inside and thoughtfully arrange his pieces. I had so much fun helping him create the most beautiful arrangement of his art. It took us about three hours; time very well spent. We couldn’t have been more pleased with the outcome.

It’s show time!

As we walked in the front door of Healthy House, we were blown away by how beautiful the entire building looked. It was obvious how hard Lisa worked to arrange a sitting area in the community space for people to gather and interact. She had a table set-up with the flyer promoting the gallery, business cards, and a guest sign-in sheet. The gallery was completed with tags for each painting describing the piece. Patrick writes poems for each of his paintings and Lisa had the poems posted next to the painting. You can read more about how “every painting tells a story” on his website here. In the kitchen, Lisa had a wonderful spread of light refreshments: wine, water, flavored drinks, fruit, cheese, and crackers. Every detail made the experience surreal. It was absolutely perfect!

Exhibition: A Dream Within A Dream

It was such a busy night! We are so grateful to everyone who came out. Patrick got to reconnect with former coworkers and meet new people. I was so excited that so many of Patrick’s friends came out to see him and support his art. It was amazing to meet Matt Burress’ family; he’s the Urban Forestry Manager for Louisville Grows. His two young sons are very interested in art and asked Patrick some highly intelligent questions. I loved listening to people ask such thoughtful questions about his art and him having the opportunity to dialogue about his style, mediums, inspiration sources, artwork titles, music references, and poems. Patrick is a unique artist and is giving the art world something it doesn’t have. I quickly learned of the importance of him engaging with people who appreciate art. Through conversing with him, people are able to learn about the depths of his work; it’s so much more than slapping paint on a canvas or snapping a picture with the latest iPhone. For instance, the painting Alone with the Poppies, has crushed poppy seeds mixed into the red paint. There is also an image of a phoenix in the sky representing his rise from the ashes of former employment. Even though I live with his artistic processes and know all of the behind the scene details, I was still fascinated listening to him describe it to new eyes and ears.

I felt so proud of Patrick and his moment to hear so many praises for his work. Being an artist, Patrick’s art is often secluded from the public. It’s not easy, especially during a pandemic, to get his art in front of people in a live setting. This first gallery event is extremely important and hopefully only the beginning.

The evening was spectacular! I felt such joy being in the company of beautiful art and genuinely kind people, in such a meaningful space. It was very touching to see and feel the love that people have for Patrick and are willing to spend their time (and money) for his art work. Their emotional support of his endeavor means so much to us both.

Louisville Grows is generously selling his art, which you can view and purchase here. The art gallery is open for public viewing Tuesday - Thursday 1:00 - 3:00pm. But, stay tuned! Another artist’s reception is in consideration!

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