Hudson Valley Scenes at Moonbean Cafe

Lifetime Hudson Valley resident Kent Patterson has always loved living in Westchester County.

The beauty of the area has inspired Patterson's collection of oil on canvas paintings currently showcased at Briarcliff Manor's , which include scenes of the Tappan Zee Bridge, Croton-on-Hudson Metro North station and other local landmarks—current and historic.

"I grew up alongside the river and worked alongside it often, so I started to feel a need to paint it in the late 90s," he said.

Patterson has lived in Croton since 2004 and is a graduate of Dobbs Ferry High School.

"The history of [The Hudson River] is very interesting: from Henry Hudson to the American Revolution," said Patterson. "And I would say there are some really beautiful parts of the river...once you get above Ossining where the river widens out and then narrows down—that is just a fantastic place to paint."

He spent the last 37 years working with trains as a tower operator, yardmaster, train master and until he retired this year, a project manager on the tracks.

"I was most recently managing connecting services at Metro North," he revealed. "I worked on the ferry out of Ossining—that was my favorite project."

Though he's been drawing and painting since he was a kid, it wasn't until Patterson built a studio in his home seven years ago that he got into a groove.

"I put painting back on the bucket list and then in 04 I finally got to it," he said.

The Hudson River is typically the jumping off point for the artist's inspiration, who is influenced by painters like Edward Hopper and Claude Monet.

"Very often, I'll look at the river. I could be daydreaming or just looking out of the window on the train or just driving or standing and I'll see something I want to take," he said. "I just try as best as possible to bring out what I see as the most beautiful in it."

The Moonbean Cafe show is Patterson's second at the coffee shop. He said he was particularly attracted to the burgundy-colored walls inside.

"It looks really good with the paintings," he said.

As he continues to grow as an artist, Patterson has moved north, painting places like West Point, the Catskills and more recently, the Adirondacks.

He reflected, "I think New York is the best state to paint in because there's just so much."

There will be a reception for Patterson's show on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 12 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Moonbean Cafe.

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