My goal as an artist is to share the joy I feel in the subject I am portraying. I strive to convey my subject with skill and insight. When I connect with my subject, everything around me disappears and I am lost. I love to share that magic with others, letting them see through my eyes. During more than 40 years as a painter and photographer, I have studied with artists in California, Texas, Maryland and Colorado through workshops and private lessons. I completed art studies at Hendrix College, University of Texas, Red Rocks Community College, Denver Art Student League, Denver Botanic Gardens School of Botanical Illustration, and completed a BA in Fine Arts from Loretto Heights College. My artwork has been accepted in local, regional and national juried art shows, oftentimes winning awards. My work may be seen in local shows, at the SPACe Gallery in the Park in La Veta, Colorado and on my web site of patnewellfineart.com.

I took inspiration for my mask by examining masks from several different cultures and was most impressed with the ones from Africa and Native American countries. My mask starts from these and is also influenced by the shape and contours of the blank mask itself.