Ribbon Symphony: Why Anne Patterson Can’t Help Making Big Art

This in-depth conversation with American artist Anne Patterson explores how she went from set design to large-scale textile art installations.

She discusses how a residency at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral led to her first fabric installation that involved filling the cathedral with miles of suspended ribbon.

Patterson shares her approach to filling large spaces, the challenges of sourcing her materials, and handling installation issues.

We also discuss her collaborative work process and the importance of audience engagement for her works.

Anne also provides some practical advice for artists starting their journey in creating large works, emphasizing perseverance and taking initiative.

This interview unveils the intricacies of her artistic process and offers a glimpse into her upcoming major project — an experiential museum show in collaboration with a composer in Sarasota, Florida.

00:00 Introduction

00:36 First Visual Art Project: The Grace Cathedral Residence

01:37 Sourcing and Manufacturing Ribbons

04:09 Challenges and Solutions in Art Installations

07:52 The Importance of Being Present During Installations

08:39 The Role of Collaboration in Artistic Process

14:34 The Durability and Maintenance of Fabric Art

23:16 The Role of Audience in Art

26:23 Logistics and Challenges of International Projects

36:22 Funding Large Scale Art Projects

38:42 The Role of Art Consultants and Galleries

41:13 The Fate of Artworks Post-Exhibition

43:16 The Artist's Studio

44:51 The Struggles of an Artist: Downtime and Uncertainty

54:01 The Hard Lesson

59:13 Advice for Aspiring Artists

01:01:22 Dream Projects and Future Plans

Anne Patterson is based in Brooklyn, NY and Rhode Island. You can learn more about her work and buy some pieces on her website https://www.annepatterson.com/ and see what she’s up to on her Instagram https://www.instagram.com/annepattersonstudio/ @annepattersonstudio

Also mentioned in this episode:

Yale University: https://www.yale.edu/ | @yale

Slade School of Art: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slade/ @sladeschool

Grace Cathedral in San Francisco: https://gracecathedral.org/ | @gracecathedral

Capital One @capitalone

Lion Ribbon https://lionribbon.bwweb.net/ | @lionribbon

Kina Park https://www.kinapark.com/bio | @kinapark

Robert Spano https://www.robertspanomusic.com/

The Cathedral Church of St John the Divine https://www.stjohndivine.org/ | @stjohndivinenyc

Zegna https://www.zegna.com/ | @zegnaofficial

Alessandro Sartori @alessandrosartoriofficial

Bayeux Tapestry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayeux_Tapestry

The Unicorn Tapestroes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unicorn_Tapestries

Aggie Gund: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_Gund

Dale Lanzone https://www.linkedin.com/in/dale-lanzone-997a3a2a/ | @dalelanzone

Marlborough Gallery: https://www.marlboroughgallery.com/ | @marlborough_gallery

Beverly Pepper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Pepper

Jessica Hagen Gallery: https://www.jessicahagen.com/ | @jessicahagenfineart

Alfstad& Contemporary: http://www.alfstadand.com/

Dillon Gallery: http://www.dillongallery.com/ | @dillonpluslee

Materials for the Arts NYC: https://www.nyc.gov/content/mfta/pages/receive-receiving-materials | @materialsforthearts

A Movable Feast by Ernest Hemingway: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Moveable_Feast

Eric Larson https://eriklarsonbooks.com/ | @exlarson

Patrick Harlin: https://www.patrickharlin.com/ | @pharlz

Sharon McMahon Book Club: https://www.sharonmcmahon.com/book-club

The Artist's Way: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Artist's_Way

Rockefeller Center @rockefellercenter

Creative Capital @creative_capital

Earthrise https://www.patrickharlin.com/earthrise

Ringling Museum: https://www.ringling.org/ | @theringling

The Venetian: https://www.venetianlasvegas.com/ | @venetianvegas

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