Jason Patterson’s artwork is centered on Black history. He represents those histories through portraiture and the physical recreation of historic texts. Patterson designs and builds ornate wood frames to hold his portraits and documents. Archival research, the recreation of images, the fabrication of historically significant documents, and stylized woodworking come together to reexamine Black history in the United States, with a special focus on the Black history of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. His goal as an artist is to provide a clearer understanding of that history in order to help us better comprehend our present. Patterson is a lecturer and the Arts & Exhibitions Fellow at Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. He is the vice chair of the Kent Cultural Alliance Board of Directors. Patterson’s home and studio are in Chestertown, Maryland.