Artist and Educator

Patricia Brown Bates was born and raised in the city of Petersburg, Virginia. As a child, her interest in artistry was evident as she was inspired to design clothing and hats, create coloring books, make objects with paper maché, and paint. During that time, people of color were not represented in greeting cards. Disappointed by this, Patricia chose to use her painting and coloring skills to alter the white characters to African-American ones.

She completed her formal education in the Petersburg Public School system. While pursuing her high school diploma, Patricia took classes in night school at Virginia State College(now Virginia State University) where she earned a Certificate in Tailoring in 1967. Upon graduating from Peabody High School in 1968, she enrolled as an undergraduate student at Saint Augustine’s University and was instrumental in the development of the Art program. She was also active in the performing arts as a clarinet player in the marching band.

In 1972, she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Art and returned to teach in the school system through which she had matriculated. Her instruction time was divided between Petersburg High School, Peabody Middle School, and the elementary schools where she updated the curriculum and taught aesthetics, vocational art, art history, and art appreciation. Additionally, Patricia oversaw the Gifted Visual Arts Program at the high school and the Artist-in-Residence program for the elementary schools. She completed her post-graduate studies in 1983 with a Master’s of Education in Industrial Education from Virginia State University while working full-time in her teaching career. In addition to teaching art, Patricia supervised the Art Club, Flag and Rifle Team, and the Modern Dance Group. She also collaborated on a “Safety Cats” billboard sponsored by the Coca-Cola Corporation for Petersburg Public Schools to promote safe zones for students.

Patricia sought membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, as she was inspired by the organization’s efforts to cultivate scholastic achievement, high ethical standards, and “service to all mankind.” On May 30, 1987, she was inducted into this illustrious sorority through the Delta Omega Chapter. Patricia relocated to Lancaster, Virginia in 1990 and began working in Lancaster Public Schools. Initially, she worked at the middle school and later chose to transfer to the high school. In addition to her duties as Art Instructor, she also worked with the mentorship program for first-year teachers, acted as the Gifted Arts Program Coordinator for the high school, and worked on the Federal Review Advisory Committee of Special Education. She returned to Central Virginia and continued working in Art Education in Dinwiddie PublicSchools until her retirement in 2009.

Not only has Patricia passed the knowledge of art theory, composition, and history on to hundreds of students over the course of a career that spanned decades, but her own artistic pieces have been featured in numerous venues and exhibited on a professional platform. For four years, she partnered with EF Educational Tours, Inc. to provide groups of students a cultural enrichment opportunity while traveling abroad in Paris, London, Greece, Rome, and Switzerland. She believed that the ultimate educational experience should be achieved outside of the classroom’s four walls. For this reason, she took her students on many trips to various destinations in the U.S. during her career. Even a simple trip to the grocery store allowed her classes the opportunity to study how art was utilized for advertisements and displays. Patricia is a sought-after instructor who participated in the People-to-People Ambassador’s Program as a lecturer in Russia on “Linking Art Across the Curriculum.” This was just one of many defining moments in her career: to share her expertise in the field on an international level.

Patricia has received numerous awards and recognitions including: Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding and Dedicated Service to the VSU Educational Enrichment Program for Community Youth, Visual and Performing Arts Presidential Citation at The Governor’s School of the University of Richmond, American Business Women’s Association Citation of Appreciation, Art Institute of Atlanta Summer Workshop Certificate of Completion, Princeton University Advanced Placement Art Certificate, and University of Virginia Certificate of Achievement in Classroom Technology Applications Productivity Concentration.

Patricia was commissioned for a special project entitled “Art Underfoot” in Downtown Petersburg where she and other local artists were organized to paint original works of art on the sidewalk. She has facilitated or contributed to a considerable number of showcases, workshops, and classes for youth and adults. She has also been a three-time, consecutive first-place winner for her painting exhibitions at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Mid-Atlantic Regional Conferences in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Patricia’s use of a hands-on and nurturing approach allows others to develop an appreciation and awareness for art while exploring the distinctive aspects of artistic expression.