Patsy Eckert, a native Montanan, was born in Bozeman, June 30, 1949 and spent her earliest years on a ranch near the small town of Ennis.  Lured by the prospect of a better life, her father moved his fledgling family to Butte to join the many courageous men who mined for the powerful Anaconda Company.  Educated in the Butte school system, Patsy graduated from Butte High School and then attended the Butte Vocational/Technical College, training as a clerk/typist.  In 1986, she returned once again to her beloved Ennis in company with her artist husband, Harvey, where they currently reside.
From her earliest memories, Patsy’s interest in art was encouraged by her mother, Norma, who urged her young daughter to draw and paint, instilling a strong and sudden passion to perfect her craft.
At age 14, Patsy purchased her first “Art Box” complete with paints, brushes and instruction book for the princely sum of $20.00.  She also picked up a simple but usable easel for an additional $7.00.  Thus armed with the necessary tools of the trade, she took classes at Butte’s now defunct “Hilltop Gallery” at the local YMCA, becoming firmly and forevermore “hooked” on a life-long love of painting.  Working tirelessly at her craft she was able to exhibit her work for the first time at the tender age of 15.  Since that time, she has attended many workshops offering studies in life-drawing, watercolor, oil painting, design, and art history.
In recent years, she was introduced to and became proficient in the Chinese discipline of Sumi-e Painting, encouraged by a local artist and friend.  Through Patsy’s efforts in regards to this ancient form of expression she has developed her own unique style.  She loves the freedom she experiences from the initial ink pourings, to applying the transparent watercolors and opaque gouache, to mounting the painting to Chinese mounting paper; thus completing the work.  Her finished Sumi-e Paintings are often large pieces, though her smaller works exhibit the same haunting power and depth as their larger cousins. Seen from near or far the effect on the viewer is nothing less than stunning.
Patsy’s other works range from her small 2” miniatures in oil or acrylic, to watercolors, acrylics and oils in more traditional sizes.  Though trained mainly as a landscape artist, Patsy is thoroughly at home rendering the likes of a single flower’s blossom, an historic building, or an old barn.
Spending countless hours in the field, sketchbook in hand, Patsy can be found mixing pen and ink and watercolor for quick reference works to be elaborated on back in her studio.  She loves these brief studies and relentlessly pursues a vast variety of subjects to fill her notebooks.
Patsy’s artwork has been accepted in many juried shows such as “Copper Camp”, “Montana Interpretations” and “Bright of America” and has been the recipient of many awards in recognition of her efforts.  She and a few of her artist friends put on an annual exhibition at the Valley Bank of Ennis, entitled appropriately enough “Reflections.”
Patsy is a member of the Ennis Arts Association where she has served as both President and secretary.  She is a member of the Montana Miniature Art Society and the Butte Chapter of the Montana Institute of the Arts.  She has been the chairman of numerous art shows; including the Madison Valley Arts Festival, an annual event.  She has juried countless art shows and contests and has taught artists of all ages in an effort to share her artistic talents, encouraging all her students “to paint” no matter what their age.
Patsy feels that Painting teaches a person to truly “SEE” the world in which they live, appreciating all things large or small that may otherwise go unnoticed.  “Art,” Patsy is quoted as saying, “is truly an exercise in discovery.”  As one can see, Patsy’s work exhibits a quiet serenity mixed with refreshingly powerful originality.