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A Notable Journey: A Conversation with Curtis Patterson and Melissa Messina Artist Talk / Podcast: Fri, Dec 2, 2pm Join us for a conversation with Atlanta-based sculptor Curtis Patterson (b., Shreveport, LA, 1944) and nationally-recognized Independent Curator, Melissa Messina, formerly Patterson’s student at the Atlanta College of Art in the 1990s. The talk will touch on his legendary impact as a professor—including on painters Radcliffe Bailey, Fahamu Pecou, and illustrator Thomas Blackshear—and the development of his artistic philosophies and influences since the mid-1970s. The discussion will also highlight Patterson's numerous public sculptures, including those in Atlanta, Dallas, Columbus, Shreveport, and St. Paul, and invite his thoughts on historic and contemporary monuments. Finally, as an important platform of visibility, this program will position Patterson in the pantheon of black sculptors including Richard Hunt, Melvin Edwards, and Martin Puryear, and serve as an introduction to his prolific studio practice highlighting recent sculptural series which have captured the attention of museums, collectors, and a new generation of artists for whom he is a formidable example of professional tenacity and boundless creativity.