SKYWARD

with James Teschner

Jessica Hagen Gallery
9A Bridge Street
Newport, Rhode Island
September 5 – October 3, 2026

Celestial Orbs invites the viewer into a world of stars, constellations, meteors, and nebulae. These sculptural works, inspired by the geometry of constellations, evoke the vastness and mystery of the universe.

The series was inspired by Patterson’s synesthetic visions. While listening to composer Patrick Harlin’s symphony Earthrise, she saw glimmering orbs, ephemeral golden knots in air. Inspired by these visions, each work resembles a complex drawing rendered in three dimensions, constructed from delicate wires that simultaneously evoke constellations and the rhythmic movements of music. Many of the sculptures are named after musical terms, including Hypermeter (patterns of strong and weak beats), Rondo (a musical composition in which a main theme, or refrain, repeatedly returns), and Tremolo (a wavering effect in a musical tone).

The process of creating each sculpture is highly sensitive: the piano wire must be manipulated with precision and tenderness so that the organic flow of the form is preserved. Bits of gold leaf anchor the wire, while the entire form is encased in resin, securing the delicate structure and creating the effect of glistening, dew-drop-like specks of gold. Patterson describes this sculptural project as a dance with the materials, a balletic response to the music -- the artist and the wire bending and swaying together.

In SKYWARD, the orbs are in dialogue with James Teschner’s intimate landscapes. Like Patterson’s sculptures, Teschner’s luminous depictions of the sky, find transcendence in atmosphere.