Hardship led woman to branch out into art

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the maxim goes.

Artist Marianne Patrevito recognizes that her abstract collages might not hit the beauty mark for some. And that's just fine.

"Some people either like it or they don't," the Hinsdale resident said. "I'm OK if somebody says it's not their thing."

Patrevito invites people to meet her and experience her work at a reception kicking off her Hinsdale Public Library exhibit, "The Process of Art in Nature," from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 (see Page 18 for details).

She said the arboreal world has served as inspiration for the majority of her pieces.

"Most of my subject matter is nature, mainly trees," shared Patrevito, who is fascinated by different bark textures and the lines that spiraling branches create. "I spend a lot of time walking in nature."

The path to becoming an artist was one she happened upon in her 40s when a cascade of adversities left her feeling bereft.

"That's what catapulted me into art," Patrevito said, recounting how one her healthcare providers suggested she try art as a form of self-care.

She was led to a class in process painting that focused on freely exploring ideas as opposed to the final output.

"It was a form of therapy because I didn't have to worry about the product," Patrevito said. "For me, it just brought a sense of ease. After I'd finished, it was like I'd just done deep breathing."

From there she discovered collage-making and how adding paper adhesives to a painting gave the work depth. Visual art therapy also become an area of interest.

"Then I just felt this calling to start watercoloring," explained Patrevito, eager to incorporate all of her studio's tools. "I was trying to figure a way to combine the painting with the collage."

So she'd make a collage and would paint it with acrylics. Or she'd paint a watercolor, layer it and then collage on top of that.

"I started developing my own style," she said, noting that abstract pieces just came more naturally. "I started out painting much more realistic. I discovered after a time that it just wasn't for me."

Several years ago Patrevito became a spiritual director and has found ways to integrate her art into sessions.

"It's also helped me to see that God, the source, spirit, is not just in our churches but also when I'm walking, in the woods, in the water," she said. "So art has also become a spiritual journey for me."

Putting her work out for others to scrutinize is not a necessarily a comfortable exercise. But Patrevito can gain assurance from her loved ones that something is exhibition-worthy.

"I still go to my kids or my husband and ask, 'What do you think of this?' " she said.

Patrevito said she is delighted to partner with the library for the display.

"I love the library. I'm a book person, and I also do some journaling and writing," she said.

And the best way to get the creative juices flowing?

"Just go and splash some paint on paper or go and cut out some pictures," Patrevito said. "It's very cathartic."

- story by Ken Knutson, photo by Jim Slonoff