Patrick Coffaro

Patrick Coffaro is an Illinois native born in 1941. Although he studied at the American Academy of Art Institute in Chicago, he describes himself as a self-taught studio artist. He currently resides in Mesa, Arizona with his wife.

It seems strange that he was once intimidated by the idea of doing landscapes considering how vibrant and confident his landscapes seem. Originally working primarily with monoprints of still lifes, he found his style when he began to allow spontaneity and "dabbling around" to direct him. He attributes his vitality and freshness as an artist to his daily commitment to change, experimentation and risk-taking.

Color has played a primary role in Coffaro's growth as an artist. "I used to work very bland, very subdued, all earth tones. Everything was quiet. I started working with louder colors surprisingly by accident. I played around with some real bright colors that were laid out on a palette that I had. I guess that kicked it all off."