Artist Bio
W. Patrick O’Brien was born and raised in Houston, Texas. After his parents gifted him with a Kodak Hawkeye camera on his 10th birthday. He developed a fascination for viewing the world through the window of a camera's viewfinder. Because of the limitations of his camera and untrained eye, his captured images were not magical. However, it was his love of music that introduced him to album cover graphics, especially with the psychedelic art of that time, which changed how he viewed graphic content and attracted him to the visual arts.
Initially a Journalism major at the University of Houston, Patrick's interest in graphics was increased while attending a photojournalism class and working in an analog darkroom. He became captivated by the creative process in the darkroom. He attributes the introduction and training in Ansel Adams' Zone System as the greatest impact on his concept of capturing and creating images. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media Communications, with an emphasis on Audio/Video/Still production.
Since receiving his degree in 1976, Patrick gained professional experience in several graphic arts including commercial photolabs, lithography, aerial photomapping, and motion graphics. He retired after 25 years in law enforcement, specializing in audio and video forensics and multi-media training and production.
Since then, He has challenged himself to create images. He credits Man Ray, Rene Magritte, Jerry Uelsmann, and Max Ernst, to name a few, as major influences. He strives to create photographic images that are much more than straight-forward documentations, but are personal and surreal interpretations, transformations and abstractions. Patrick is a member of the Williamson County Art Guild, Texas Photographic Society, Corpus Christi Art Center, and Artists of Central Texas.. His images have been shown at a multitude of solo and juried exhibits throughout Texas and the United States, and the UK.
Curriculum Vitae
W. Patrick O'Brien (aka The 3-Eyed Man)
Georgetown, TX 78628
(512) 819-1381
Education:
Bachelor of Arts Degree, Media Communications,Radio/TV/Film, University of Houston, 1976
Contests:
2024 - Black & White magazine, "2024 Digital Manipulation" Contest | Issue168 October 2024 | Pg.21
https://www.bandwmag.com/galleries/bw/contests/49/categories/65/photographs/131004
2023 - Third Place, B&W Spider Awards International Photography Competition | Amateur | Still Life, online
https://www.thespiderawards.com/gallery/18th/amateur/still-life
Collaborative Exhibition:
2024 - "Luminance Abstracted", with Malina Cipleu, Georgetown Art Center, Georgetown, TX
Solo Exhibitions:
2023 - "Light Paintings", Julia C. Butridge Gallery, Austin, TX
2022 - "Color and Chrome", Georgetown City Hall Gallery, Georgetown, TX
2022 - Artist of the Month, Thought Art Magazine, September
2021 - Round Rock City Hall Gallery, Round Rock, TX
Selected Juried Group Exhibitions:
2024 - "Foto Texas 3" | Juror: E. Dan Klepper, TPS, Museum of the Big Bend, Alpine, TX
2024 - “The Abstract Image " | Jurors: M. Daglish & L. Woodward, SE Center for Photography, Greenville, SC
2024 - 36th Members Only Show" | Juror: Roy Flukinger, TPS, Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, TX
2023 - “35th Members Only Show" | Juror: Keith Carter, TPS, Center for Contemporary Arts, Abiliene, TX
2023 - “Light” | Juror: Douglas Beasley, SE Center for Photography, Greenville, SC
2022 - “Abstracts” | Juror: Adam Finkelston, SE Center for Photography, Greenville, SC
2022 - “Photography Biennial” | Juror: O. Rufus Lovett, Corpus Christi Art Center, Corpus Christi, TX
2021 - “National Parks” | RGallery, Boulder, CO
2021 - “Transformations” | Pennsylvania Center for Photography, Doylestown, PA
2021 - “Portrayed” | d'Art Gallery, Norfolk, VA
2021 - “Abstracts” | Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery, lightspacetime.art
2021 - “Sapphire” | International Online Exhibition, Envision Arts Gallery, Denton, TX
2020 - “Citation 2020” | Texas Visual Arts Association, Dallas, TX
2020 - “Monochrome 4 International Exhibition” | Glasgow Photography Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
2020 - “Photography” | Corpus Christi Art Center, Corpus Christi, TX
2020 - “Photography National Juried Exhibition” | Dallas Metro Arts, Plano, TX
Awards:
2019 - Honorable Mention, Texas State Fair
2019 - Special Merit, “Botanicals” and “Patterns” Exhibits, Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery
2018 – Fourth Place, “Colorful Abstractions”, Fusion.com Online Gallery
2018 - Honorable Mention, “Macro Photography”, Georgetown Art Center
2018 - Special Merit, “Botanicals” and “Open” Exhibits, Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery
2017 - Third Place, Texas State Fair
Affiliations:
Corpus Christi Art Center, joined 2019
Texas Photographic Society, joined 2018
Williamson County Art Guild, Georgetown, TX, joined 2016
