An Artist, An Influence

“Pathway” by Patty Degenhardt.

When I was growing up in New York my parents discouraged me from being an artist. We had one artist in the family, and I needed to be a teacher or a nurse. These were acceptable careers for women. My maternal aunt is P. Buckley Moss, an artist; she was also my kookie Aunt Pat that brought back a branch of bananas for me from her honeymoon.

As an early child I used to make mud pies, but mine were not ordinary pies. Once I thought I could make them real with magic – I even tried eating it! I wound up going to college to be a teacher but years later, after I raised my three children, I got involved with adult mud, clay. I went back to school for an MFA with majors in ceramics and painting.

During graduate school I realized what I wanted to do with clay, and I began sculpting. When people saw my work they mentioned Henry Moore, so I began reading about him. One of his influences was stone formation. Interestingly enough, stone formations and bare trees are things I gravitate to. I have come to believe, through research and observation, if what inspires you, inspires others, your work will have similarities. In graduate school I got to travel to Ploumanarch on the French coast. Henry Moore also went there. It’s a coast full of wonderful large stones weathered by the sea.

Sculpture by Patty Degenhardt.

While my work is more abstracted and colorful than my aunts, we both share a love of trees. Henry Moore and I share a love for and inspiration from stone formations.

This will be my third year to spend half the year in Door County. This place is another inspiration and influence on my work.

Patty Degenhardt’s studio, located at 3791 Gibraltar Road in Fish Creek, is open Thursday through Monday from 10 am – 4 pm and Sunday noon – 4 pm. For more information call 920.868.5039.