A Sackville-based artist is being celebrated for his significant contributions to the Atlantic Canadian and national art landscapes.
Graeme Patterson, a visual artist who has had an impact on the Maritime art scene for more than two decades, was recently awarded the 2025 Theodore Prize, an honour handed out annually by the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton.
Selected from a highly-competitive field of candidates, Patterson impressed the jury with the excellence, ambition, and steady evolution of his artistic practice over the last 20 years.
“It’s exciting to see the evolution of his visual language,” the jury noted, citing his “sustained, impactful practice.”
Known for his large-scale sculptural installations, Patterson’s work was praised for being “imaginative, thoughtful, and truly enjoyable.” His recent exhibition, Strange Birds was presented in Fredericton, Halifax, and Moncton to great popular acclaim.
Bernard Doucet, executive director at Beaverbrook, says: “Graeme Patterson’s work stands as a remarkable example of how imagination, craft, and narrative can transform our understanding of place and experience. His ability to create immersive worlds—at once intimate and expansive—has made a lasting impact on audiences across Atlantic Canada and beyond.
Patterson says he feels blessed to have been part of the Atlantic Canadian art scene for the past 20 years.
“This is the place I found myself as an artist, and I know I will continue to grow, create, and collaborate here.”
He says being awarded the Theodore Prize, valued at $20,000, and being recognized within this region is an honour.
“As a working artist, it will be a significant emotional and financial boost to maintaining and evolving my independent practice,” he says.
