patrick norville

“There's a lot to life.” -Patrick Norville

Patrick comes from a family with four boys. He came to California for drug rehabilitation. Living alone in California was a new start for him. Facing hardships among the community has been rough on him, yet he continued on. He's grateful for his relationship with God as well as having harmony, love and truth. His happiest moment was seeing his family attend his graduation from rehab.

Gissel, 16

Dreams of being graphic designer & illustrator
Important influence: My family & my oldest sister
Grateful for: Friends, family & teachers

When I first heard Brian Peterson speak about his artwork I was moved by his words and stories.  When I decided to be part of this class, I was overjoyed.  I had interacted with the homeless yet, I felt remorse for them and guilt for not being able to help them.  As I worked on Patrick's portrait I realized that the person in front me was unique and special, just like any ordinary person. My painting is a gift for Patrick. I used soft, pastel colors like blue, pink, yellow, and red to show Patrick’s warm-hearted, gentle soul. I chose a dark purple background to represent all of the hardships he has been through.  The vibrant warm colors show the contrast against the dark color to show he's overcome many obstacles.