Nearly every spring, USF alumna Erin Patton-McFarren (BA ’99) displays an example of her artwork in the Artlink members showcase. This year, she stepped fully into the spotlight.
Not only did her 2021 piece, “May Fen,” sell to an admiring buyer, she was selected as the winner of the Solo Exhibition Award for the 43rd Artlink Members Showcase. Patton-McFarren will present her solo exhibition in May 2022.
“I’m incredibly excited and honored, and busy working on this and dreaming up what it will be,” she said. “I am thrilled. I’m such a goal-oriented person and it’s been a goal of mine to have a solo exhibition in a gallery. This is a big step for me toward my goal of launching more gallery experiences.”
Patton-McFarren teaches art in the Whitney Young Early Childhood Program, while maintaining her drive to grow as an artist. She and her husband, Jeremy, an art teacher at Carroll High School, work daily to promote art to young people and encourage them to explore their creativity.
Patton-McFarren concentrates extensively on experimental cyanotypes in the waterways and lakes of northern Indiana. A cyanotype is created by non-toxic chemicals that produce a deep blue when exposed to light. She recently switched from creating collage images with giant transparencies to exploring water waves and making cyanotypes in conjunction with sunlight and currents.
“The Artlink members exhibition is something I’ve been participating in since I was a Saint Francis student,” she said. “I’ve been in it almost every year. It is a great way to see other friends and creative people in the area. It’s usually around the time of the Three Rivers Festival and it’s just a great summertime event.”
Examples of Patton-McFarren’s art can be viewed at erinpattonmcfarren.weebly.com.