Pat Bangart holding one of her ceramic creations
Ceramic cottage by Pat Bangart
Ceramics Club: Pat Bangart
Susan Eastman
In the delicate artistry of Pat Bangart, one sees a manifestation of the words by famed artist Frida Kahlo who said, “I paint flowers so they won’t die.” On plates and pitchers, Pat has applied designs that capture forever the beauty of floral blooms. But this ability, both innate and learned, didn’t happen all at once.
Inspired by the artistry of other members of the Ceramics Club, Pat practiced her brush strokes diligently, determined to perfect her own. The result is a remarkable collection of not only flowers but whimsical spoons, a dry brushed owl, the soaring image of an eagle, a backyard gnome, a tiered adobe, and an oval shaped cottage. She also practiced Zentangle on some objects, a series of lines, curves, and patterns that were on display in the Ceramics Club window this April.
Pat had quite a career after college as a neonatal nurse caring for babies whose hold on life was tenuous. While doing this gratifying and purposeful work she raised a family and moved around the country as a military wife, finally settling in San Antonio for 23 years. In anticipation of retirement, she and husband Jim visited various active adult resort communities in Texas and Florida.
When they got to PebbleCreek, they agreed this would be their new home. Family was here, and for Pat, the biggest influence on her decision was the Creative Arts Center that offered many of the crafts she had always loved. Now, as residents for three years, Pat says, “I wish we had come here 10 years ago!” What a fitting statement to the value of PebbleCreek’s Creative Arts Center and the Ceramics Club that has provided such satisfaction in the expression of her creative talents.