Artist: Patty Ortiz
Year: 1997
Dates: b.1955, San Antonio, TX
Materials: Enamel on Steel
Dimensions: 6′ x 6′ x 3.5′

About Patty Ortiz

Patty Ortiz says, “My work in a broad sense is an investigation of the human experience. Therefore, the questions my work addresses are about established spiritual beliefs, established community systems, and established discriminations. I enjoy creating metaphors around overlapping social and personal issues. These metaphors can manifest themselves into actual physical relationships such as the actual use of metal, rope, or fishing lures. Or the metaphors can manifest themselves as symbolic rendered images, such as painted flowers, hand shadows, or sky images. Either way, it is the relationships that are created between these metaphors that bring me to either humorous or sentimental conclusions. Finally, through my work in the public art arena and other community projects, I am presently committed to developing projects that redefine the notion of “public” in public art. Ortiz received her BFA from the University of Texas in Austin and her MFA from the University of Texas in San Antonio. She has worked as an artist for the past twenty years, and is currently Executive Director of the Museo de las Américas in Denver, Colorado.