Meet the Artist

Patrice Gates is an Atlanta, Georgia based artist who specializes in one of a kind drawings and paintings that are inspired by the beauty of black women and black culture. Born into a military family she often moved around as a child which allowed her to experience many different people and cultures. However, after her dad retired she made more permanent roots in her parents' hometown of Villa, Rica Georgia. A self-taught artist throughout grade school she later went to study art at the University of Louisville, Kentucky on a full-ride scholarship.  It was during her final years of college that she discovered her love for painting. She graduated with a  BA in Fine Arts and a minor in creative writing.  After graduating Patrice moved back home. However it wasn't until five years and many unfulfilling jobs later that she decided to pursue her art full-time.

Growing up Patrice remembers how colorism and a lack of representation morphed her way of thinking and affected how she viewed herself. She noticed that there were few women who looked like her on TV, in magazines, music videos, and other forms of visual arts. It was painfully obvious that women who looked like her weren't considered beautiful. Throughout her life journey, Patrice has met other women who have had similar experiences as her. She realized the damage that a lack of representation had caused and was continuing to cause.  Seeing a desperate need for change Patrice aims to promote healing through her art by helping to bridge the gap of representation that is painfully lacking in the beauty and art world.