Nobella the Artist
"Art is an extension of self. I use it as my vehicle to provide expression of love, faith, hope, desire, passion and respect. With each stroke of my brush, I encompass a sense of creativity that is beyond my imagination. Piecing together colors, shapes, and movement into a visual piece, is my gift from God. I am ever thankful to be blessed with this talent. Nobella is my name and art is my offering to all."
At that well known bend in the Mississippi River called New Orleans an artist was born. Much like the cesarean evolution of Jazz, Patricia Nobella's roots spread in The Big Easy as a young girl playing with colors. Born Patrica Henderson on November 17, 1980 she claims, " I came out of the womb painting." It was as innate to her as breathing and she envisioned no other path for her in life other than one that flowed through the aesthetic of colors, textures, and even precious metals. Patricia demonstrates a passion for art by depicting the world around her in creative and colorful ways. Her use of acrylic, pencil, oil, charcoal, pen and ink, and other mixed mediums have allowed her to create pieces with vibrant colors and distinctive textures, indicative of her now popular trademark. Reflective of the many moods of Bourbon Street, Patricia's subject matter ranges from portraits, still life, landscapes and abstract compositions, all of which reflect her passion for capturing life as it happens, alive and present.
Her style evolved over the years, beginning professionally at the young age of fifteen. As a young and impressionable woman, art shows in the city were an easy escape from the rigid religious domestic ties with which her craft competed. She struggled with her societal mores and expectations, made even more difficult by the realization that very little money could be made without proper direction. She decided to enroll at Southern University of New Orleans were her immediate focus was on the arts. Finding the training less direct than she would like Patricia went on to Tulane University. While continuing her studies she decided to dabble in jewelry making, something she found relaxing and a surprising creative outlet. Out of this pastime a new love and business was born by other students and friends who commissioned her to create custom signature pieces for them.
Patricia relocated to Atlanta after hurricane Katrina. Reflecting on that experience she said, this was the most trying and the most unsure that I have ever been, and even though I didn't have a choice, it was definitely the best move I ever made. She finds life a little more predictable now in Atlanta's historic West End where she continues to paint and make exquisite jewelry, sometimes even incorporating her jewelry into her paintings. Her works are displayed in cafes, restaurants and most notably, private homes where her murals shine filled with memories juxtaposed by her promised future
