Brenda Pattee, known to her friends as Ben, is a self taught experimental artist, residing in California, who began painting with watercolor in the early 80’s. Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s she was a member of local art associations, including the Livermore Art Association and the Pleasanton Art League. During those years Brenda showed her work in a variety of shows while also raising two children, Melissa and Anni. Brenda participated in annual art festivals where her work won awards and were sometimes made available for sale to the public. In 1992 she won first place for her watercolor painting titled “Highrise” in a Pleasanton Art League Juried Show. In 1994 she won third place in the Livermore Art Association‘s Festival of the Arts for her painting “Nature‘s Sculpture“. In 1989 she sold her first watercolor painting at the Art In the Vineyard, an art show sponsored by the Livermore Art Association.
After years of painting, self taught, Brenda decided in 1999 to go back to school to major in Fine Arts. She was working days and taking community college courses at night. There she was introduced to oil painting and an intensive course in figure drawing. Now in 2006 Brenda has transferred to San Francisco State University where she is studying Fine Arts as well as Women’s Studies. She has quit her day job to pursue her passion in art. Her work has grown beautifully with the number of classes she has under her belt. Most recently she has taken courses in lithography and wood and metal sculpture.
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