John Pattenden
Patent Artwork
Anderson Park Fall 2024
From an early age I had a darkroom and loved what could be done with techniques like dodging and burning etc. When post processing went digital, it opened up so many more possibilities. I experimenting with blending multiple images together and from that created a series of fine art photographs. What began as a search for textures to blend into my fine art photographs, translated into a unique collection of prints that tell fascinating stories. I had photographed an old coffee mill, which had two patent dates. I looked for the patents to see how I could integrate some of the elements into my image. When I saw the legal language and the old drawings from the draftsmans pen juxtaposed with the photographic image of the actual invention, I caught a glimpse of how the inventors dream became a reality. This inspired me to create the Patent Artwork series.