Abe Patterson. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Pembroke, Ontario. Active early to mid 20th century.
Abe Patterson made carvings of farm animals and animals from the wild; especially Moose and Deer. He also made objects (such as ink wells and other household items) decorated with animals as well as models of buildings and Totem poles; some very large and colored (an example of one was some 35 feet long). He achieved an international reputation in the 1930’s which continued into the 1960’s; sending carvings around North America and Europe. He carved ‘in the round’ and often in a single piece of wood. Wood from trees that he harvested himself.
An example of Abe Patterson’s work. An ink-well with a carved Sheep:
Abe Patterson. Pembroke, Ont. 1899-1969. Ink well with a carved Big Horn Sheep. Signed. 1930’s.
He was followed in his art by his son Pat Patterson also of Pembroke, Ontario.
Exerpt from “History of The Corporation of Westmeath Township” (1984) by Evelyn Moore Price:
“A student who had his roots in Westmeath township and attended S.S. No. 9, Westmeath, was Abe Patterson, who went forward to become internationally famous as Pembroke’s wood carver. Born in this section of Greenwood, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Patterson After moving to Pembroke, this native son of Greenwood worked at his hobby of wood carving during the summer months at the rockcut at Meath near the bridge, made when Highway 17 was reconstructed and rerouted at Meath to avoid the excessively steep grade on the old road from Meath station. Many tourists seeing him working there near his small parked truck, would stop to converse -observe – or purchase.”
