Black Forest resident John Patterson has always been inspired by the landscape surrounding him, and now he has started to paint it.ìI dabbled in acrylic and oils years ago, but I have just recently started up again, beginning again at around 2013,î Patterson said. ìI caught Bob Ross (artistic painting instructor) on TV and that made me want to start again.î Originally from San Jose, Calif., Patterson moved to Colorado in 1991. He took a few drawing classes in college and ended up with an English degree from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He said his degree in English helps him pursue his other passion ñ writing science fiction novels.Currently, Patterson has three e-books on Amazon, where he has sold 400 copies after running a promotional sale. “What I have on Amazon are parts of a serialized series called “Arrivers,î he said. ìThe installments are, in order of release, ëEscaping,í ëRefugee,í and ëSalt Flats.í I have a fourth story (not titled yet) that will be coming out soon to continue the series.î He has plans to expand on the story lines, and is developing one featuring a giant redwood forest as well as fossils. ìColorado is known for its fossil beds.î Patterson describes his written work as ìepic fantasy novels.îWhen asked if he prefers writing to painting, Patterson said itís a toss up. For now, he is focused on painting. ìI like to do 5 (inches) by 7 paintings or smaller,î he said. ìI have a few bigger ones, but I just like the details that I can put into the smaller paintings.î Eventually, Patterson said he would like to travel to the California redwoods for more inspiration, but he said the natural beauty of Colorado like the evergreen trees and mountains serve as a main focal point for many of his paintings.His long-term goals are to publish his paintings in books, perhaps his own books, in Barnes and Noble book stores. ìI am also looking into doing voice acting, as well as recordings for audio books.î
