TITLE: Persea, Levitated

Monochrome still art of an avocado.

AUTHOR: Patrick O'Brien (United States)

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, Patrick developed a fascination with viewing the world through the window of a camera viewfinder. 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 looked at graphic content.

Initially a Journalism major at the University of Houston, Patrick' fascination with graphics intensified while taking a photojournalism class and working in an analog darkroom. After taking a class in Ansel Adams’ Zone System, he changed majors and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media Communications, with an emphasis on Audio / Video production.

After receiving his degree, Patrick worked as a darkroom technician and assistant photographer for commercial photographers and photo labs in Texas and California. Eventually, he gained employment at a law enforcement agency, where he was responsible for forensic audio/video investigations, non-forensic audio/video/still productions, and digital darkroom duties, until he retired after 24 years of service.

Since then, Patrick has challenged himself to create images that are imaginative, engaging, and thought-provoking. He credits Man Ray, Rene Magritte, Jerry Uelsmann, and Aaron Siskind as major influences. He is a member of the Williamson County Art Guild, Texas Photographic Society, and Christians In Visual Arts (CIVA). His images have been shown at a multitude of juried exhibits throughout Texas and California.