I've always felt invisible thoughts becomes visible in the material world. My paintings suggest that a conscious mind pervades the Kingdoms of Nature. The shapes, colors, and patterns of the natural world hint that the atoms themselves are designed and sustained by thought, allowing the physical world to be constantly stable and yet, unfailingly adaptable.

My paintings are intended to be open to interpretation in terms of scale and subject matter. They are both literal and ambiguous, implying the Knower, the Known, the Unknown, and the Unknowable.

I was born and raised in Baton Rouge, LA where I spent my childhood on LSU's campus where my father was a Chemistry professor. I received my B.A. in Fine Arts from LSU. After graduation, my husband John and I moved to Boulder, CO where John received a Ph.D. and began working for Celestial Seasonings. We have many friends in the natural foods business and their vision was a great inspiration to me. In 1980 we moved back to New Orleans and have lived here ever since. Throughout the years, I've shown my work alongside other artist friends and continue showing my work in various spaces around New Orleans.

Patty West Elstrott is a New Orleans artist living and working in River Ridge neighborhood.

Describe your art in three words. Visionary. Inspirational. Scientific.

Describe yourself in one word. Seeker.

What do you love the most about creating art in New Orleans? What particular part of your immediate environment, in your neighborhood specifically influences your work? Nature. The abundance of natural beauty.

Describe your creative process. Are there any rituals or rites of passage you exercise before you begin a new piece? A state of daydreaming and the stream of consciousness. An intuitive vision of atomic arrangements.

Where do you draw inspiration? I draw inspiration from the natural and the spiritual realms. I try to convey a sense of the joy of the natural universe.

Who are your artistic influences or gurus? Van Gogh. Roberto Matta. Jenny Holzer. Kehinde Wiley. Basquiat. Douglas Bourgeois.

In New Orleans, art and music go hand in hand. What type of music, band or song lyric best describes your work? Choral music.

Where can we find you when you are not creating art? Various music venues or home reading.

What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year? Nighttime/Sunday/Mardi Gras season

What is something people don’t know about you? A fun fact. Magical things happen in my life quite often.

All works listed online are available to be viewed at Where Y’Art Gallery by appointment.

Trepwise

New Orleans Bioinnovation Center

Please allow 2-4 weeks for shipping and delivery. All work is wrapped in bubble wrap and secured in a painting crate through UPS or FEDEX. For all local orders, work is available for pickup at Where Y'art on 835 Julia Street.

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