A decade ago, Rita Patterson probably wouldn’t have considered herself an artist—much less a painter.
However, that all changed once she learned about PMMA’s Art is Ageless® program.
“I didn’t do any painting at all until a friend of mine suggested I paint something and enter the competition. I had never even heard of it before,” said Rita.
Since then, Rita has gone on to win several awards at the competition’s masterpiece level, including this year when her painting, “Boat on the Lakeshore,” was selected to be featured on a greeting card that was distributed with the 2024 Art is Ageless calendar.
The idea for the painting originally came from a picture Rita saw on the front of a church bulletin a year or so ago.
“It struck me as something very special and reminded me of all the Bible stories about Jesus and the disciples and all the time they spent out on the Sea of Galilee,” said Rita.
Although Rita’s artistic abilities laid dormant for several years while she lived and worked on a farm, she believes that art was always a part of her DNA.
“My uncle was an artist, but he died very young (I was five at the time), but maybe I got talent from him,” said Rita.
As for Art is Ageless, Rita says she plans on continuing to enter just for her own enjoyment.
“It’s fun, even if I don’t place, I like just seeing what I can do compared to others,” said Rita.
