Mr. John Patterson

Sculptor
jbp (Please add "@flmnh.ufl.edu" to "jbp" for full email address.)

A self-taught artist, John started his career in Athens, Georgia framing original art in frames that sculpturally captured the essence of the artwork. His unique approach to framing lead to being commissioned to convert commercial spaces into living and working studios in which he utilized 'found and reused' objects for construction materials. After moving to Gainesville, John has been involved in a variety of artistic activities including sculpting for Sightline Studios, a commercial museum exhibits company, working as an art therapist at Shands Hospital, and sculpting furniture for local collectors. In his spare time, John is busy with a sculptural renovation of his 1949 home, demonstrating 17th Century woodturning techniques at fairs all over the Southeast, and continues to do commissioned and personal sculpture works. At the FLMNH. John is accurately recreating the 70-foot deep 3-million year old shell pits in Sarasota, Florida, and the Pleistocene terrestrial deposits uncovered in Eocene limestone where the giant ground sloth, Eremotherium was uncovered. John is also the principal artisan making individualized steel armatures for the more than 500 specimens to be displayed in the Hall of Florida Fossils.