Coming to Terms I & II (Diptych)
“Coming to Terms I & II," Diptych
12 x 12 x 2.5” each, 27 x 12 x 2.5" as a Diptych
Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas
Patricia Saada Baumann
Artist Statement:
Abstract painting enables me to express my deep passion for life, and dive into the essence of who we really are. My art reflects a range of emotional experiences from chaos, uncertainty, and sweet nostalgia, to celebrating the joie de vivre - beauty of life, unity, and new beginnings.
We all have a story. As time goes by, we garner a full catalog of life events that have marked us one way or another. Recognizing, accepting, and embracing your own story is gaining the freedom to be who you are, raising your self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-compassion.
Coming to Terms I & II were painted with serene and vivid colors, texture and pops of bright spirit. They reflect overcoming some of the challenges of being an artist. The first time I allowed myself to say "I am an artist" was utterly liberating. Painting was always my refuge and way to express my emotions and life experiences, my hopes and dreams. However, not having had the opportunity to receive a formal art education hung over me. It made me feel I was missing something, that somehow I did not measure up and that's what I told myself for years. That self-doubt and inner critic dictated that I had no right to call myself an artist. With time, I eventually learned that many successful contemporary artists were self-taught. Coming to terms with the fact that I wasn't alone freed me from my self-imposed limitations and allowed me to embrace the artist in me.
Artist Bio:
Patricia Saada Baumann, born and raised in Lebanon, discovered her love for art at a young age through illustrating, and painting on fabric, however, turmoil in her country forced her to take a different direction pushing art aside for many years. Growing up in a multilingual family, she attended German and English schools, studied Italian, and majored in Business Management at the American University. Patricia left her war-torn country in the 90s, lived in Italy, France and the UK, working in various industries and using her love of languages to connect with people from all over the world. Along her journey of many episodes, she navigated through and embraced the beauty of the multiple cultures she encountered, deeply enriching her artistic sensitivity.
Moving to Dallas, Texas, in late 2006, prompted her to reconnect with her passion for art and fulfill her childhood dream. Drawing portraits for a while, Patricia turned to abstract painting where she found freedom to express herself using textured paint and a palette knife to project her emotional reflections onto canvas, bridging her past and present with continued self-discovery. Alongside her corporate job, she attended various art workshops, obtained a Graphic Design certification from Southern Methodist University, and participated in several group and international juried exhibitions and fairs.
Her award-winning work was also exhibited in a couple of Dallas Design District galleries in Texas. In October 2023, Patricia was selected by the Florence Biennale Curatorial Board to showcase her work at the Fortezza da Basso (Florence) during the XIV Florence Biennale exhibition "I AM YOU - Individual and Collective Identities in Contemporary Art and Design" and was featured in the XIV Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Contemporanea e Design catalogue. She currently works with oils and acrylics and loves experimenting with new forms of media to create texture.