My passion for art developed at a young age. I had a family friend, Alison, who quickly became my first mentor. I was around 8 years old. She was not only a talented acrylic painter at 16, but a spirited horse woman. Naturally, I thought she was the coolest person on the planet. She taught me how to ride and gave me painting lessons. That’s where it began. Alison was my access to horses. Once her family moved to Arizona, I started getting involved with sports in school. My parents gave me a choice, horses or sports due to the expense. I chose to have a social life. As an adult and a current horse owner, I’ve realized my parents got really lucky that I picked softball and tennis over horses.

Two children, one older and one younger, are inside a room. The older child is placing a red hat on the younger child's head. The younger child is looking at the camera with a distressed expression and is wearing a red sweatshirt with black writing and glasses. The older child is dressed in dark clothing with purple accents.

Child riding a brown horse outdoors, wearing a black helmet and maroon jacket.

Three children standing in a barn with two horses, smiling and looking at the horses.

I concentrated on art through highschool working with all different media as well as photography. That interest flowed into college. I graduated with a 2 year degree with a concentration in art from the University of North Georgia. This was during a grey period in my life. I wasn’t sure where my path was going so I completed another semester working towards my Bachelor’s in Art Marketing when I hit a rut. Thankfully, I had a phenomenal professor, John Amos, who took the time to have one on one chats with his students to understand their headspace. I asked him, “What can I do with an Art Marketing degree?” He said, “Do you want to teach?” My response was, “Heck no!” Why was I paying for a degree that wasn’t taking me where I thought I wanted to be? John said, “Then, go travel. Get out of here.” I remember walking outside after that meeting, and tearing up. Feeling even more confused and lost. What was I going to do now? I wasn’t ready to take off… not yet. I decided to put the books away. Left college with my Associates and joined the workforce. A few years later, and with a more mature mindset, John’s words came back to me.

My next chapter began in 2017 when I decided a change was necessary. I was 23 years old, a college graduate living at home with my parents, working a desk job, saving that dollar. I had done everything that society coached us to do but in reality I was missing a huge piece of my soul.

In my down time, at the office, I researched a plan to hit the road. I wanted to see the Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, ALL OF IT! After reaching my limit, I handed over my resignation and prepared myself for the road trip. My parents thought I had lost my mind. I was not the party animal/wild child. I went to community college and my idea of a crazy adventure was going to the craft store without a list. In my gut I knew if I didn’t make a change that I would play it safe for the rest of my life.

I left my home in Buford, GA in August of 2017 with no plan other than I wanted to explore the National Parks. On my third day, I started to panic and knew that I needed to set an actual destination or my trip was going to fail. I thought to myself, what is something you have always wanted to do that no-one in your family would want to? Horses… I am the only one in my family that loves horses. Light bulb… DUDE RANCH! I pulled into a hotel in North Platte, NE to use the wifi and to take a much needed shower after sleeping in my Cherokee for 3 days. I came across the Dude Ranchers Association and booked a 6 night stay at a ranch in Buena Vista, CO. It all went uphill after that. I could go on and on with details but we’d be here for a while. Long story short, I was hooked. I booked another week at a ranch in McCoy, CO a month later.

Two cowboys on horseback, herding a black calf in an outdoor rodeo arena with a rustic wooden fence and mountainous landscape in the background.

Woman laughing and riding a white horse in an outdoor setting with mountains and greenery in the background.

Three children and an adult posing with a mascot dressed as a bear. The children are wearing ski gear, including helmets and goggles, and the adult is in a blue ski suit.

Black Mountain Ranch changed my life. I was hired as a wrangler for 5 seasons after my vacation. I grew up to be the woman I am today because of my experiences and the opportunities that were placed in front of me. I was pushed physically and emotionally to strive for more. I fell in love with people, animals and nature. The May family were huge supporters of my art. They allowed me to showcase my original paintings in the dining hall as well as the Trading Post. Each season, I made it my mission to create at least one piece for the ranch. I painted a mural with the help of some of my coworkers in the “Lil Wrangler Room” where guests can work on leather crafts. I surprised Pat, the massage therapist, with a mural of aspen trees on the door of her shop and there are a few more projects hanging in the Saloon.

I lived full time in central Colorado for 3 years. I taught skiing at the Beaver Creek Children’s Ski School during the winter. After COVID, I decided that I would spend the winter months in Georgia to be closer to family but I was not ready to say goodbye to BMR. December of 2021, I was working as a farm hand for a boarding facility in Dawsonville, GA. My coworker set me up on a blind date with Tony Patton, a passionate Marine veteran and tree climber. He came over to my apartment over the barn the next day, cooked me the best steak I’ve ever had and never left. He joined me for one last season at Black Mountain Ranch and got to live his cowboy dream for the summer.

A cowboy in a plaid shirt and wide-brimmed hat kneeling on the dirt ground with a lasso, while a black calf lies on the ground and a black cow stands nearby.

A smiling man and woman dressed in Western fashion, both wearing cowboy hats, standing outdoors near a vehicle with a mountainous background.

A man wearing a camouflage jacket and rain gear giving two thumbs up on a foggy beach with Haystack Rock in the background.

Two people riding white horses outdoors in a forested area with mountains in the background, smiling at the camera.

Sunset over snowy mountains with a grass field, trees, and a fence in the foreground

Once our season was over, we moved to Tumalo, OR to farm sit for a winter season. April 2023 came around and we were ready to haul it back to Georgia. Once home, we bought a fifth wheel, parked it on my brother’s farm in Gainesville, and went back to reality. Tony went back to climbing trees and I picked up a waitressing gig while continuing my painting commissions. A year later, a dream came true for both of us. We bought a 10 acre farm outside of Royston, GA. Now, I get to look out of my studio window and see our two horses we brought back from Black Mountain and Tony can pretend to be hunting down by the creek when he is actually napping.

He brought me back to BMR for my 31st birthday and proposed to me when we got a flat tire at the highest point in the Rocky Mountain National Park. We got married October 19, 2024.

A woman is holding a ring with a blue gemstone that says 'My greatest adventure.' Behind her, a man is kneeling and changing a tire on a black SUV, wearing a beige jacket, blue jeans, and a cap. The woman is wearing a pinkish sleeve, and a hand is visible with light skin and a wedding ring with a large gemstone.

A bride and groom kneel by a lake surrounded by trees during a wedding ceremony. The bride, holding a bouquet, is touching noses with a black dog wearing a floral collar. The groom, dressed in a suit with a boutonnière, is holding a leash attached to a large Shepherd dog sitting nearby. The scene is sunny with clear skies and lush green foliage.

A black and white photo of a couple on their wedding day, sitting closely together with foreheads touching, looking at a photo or card in the woman's hand.

Jess Patton Art is a reflection of the people, the animals and nature that I have seen along my travels. It’s what keeps me grounded and the beauty of it is… it is constantly changing with every new experience. My goal is to not only represent my own journey in my original pieces but to work with my customers to translate their own adventures.

I want my brand to inspire. I left the status quo to chase a dream, an adventure. I want to encourage others that it’s ok to not know what you want or know where you belong.. What you need is the courage to step outside of your comfort zone and to take the chance to say yes. Yes, to new places, people, and opportunities. Those opportunities lead to experiences and experiences turn into lessons learned.

“When you buy something from an artist you’re buying more than an object. You’re buying hundreds of hours of errors and experimentation. You’re buying years of frustration and moments of pure joy. You’re not buying just one thing. You are buying a piece of a heart, a piece of a soul.. a small piece of someone else’s life.”

- unknown

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