P. Buckley Moss

1933, New York, NY

The artist P. Buckley Moss was asked how long it takes for her to paint a picture.  “My whole life,” she said.  For Pat, it is this lifelong passion and belief that is expressed in her work, giving us a collection of art that is filled with a lifetime of experiences:  from her Irish-Italian heritage to her urban art school education, the laughter of her children, and the simplicity of birds flying south for the winter.  
As a young mother Pat moved her family south and increasingly found inspiration in the imagery of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, becoming captivated by the life and culture of the Amish and Mennonite people of the area.  She embraced the local landscapes, lifestyles, and traditions and felt that the life and culture she was part of held an important message for modern society:  live simply and enjoy every moment!
The artistic talent, passion, and vision of P. Buckley Moss is shared in our galleries through an extensive selection of her works and accompanying stories, and the artist enjoys every opportunity to invite visitors to more fully share the beauty and sources of her artistic inspiration.

Pat Moss is dyslexic. In the company of such notable people as Henry Winkler, Greg Louganis, Nelson Rockefeller, Tom Cruise, Cher and Magic Johnson, Pat is someone with a learning disability who has achieved great success. Like many people with a learning difference, Pat is highly perceptive and sensitive, with an uncanny ability to communicate with others through her art.

Having achieved success, she devotes a great deal of her time and effort to helping others. Donations of P. Buckley Moss art have raised over four million dollars for worthy charities. The P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children’s Education is devoted to promoting the use of art in the classroom, especially as a means to teach children with learning differences.

In 1967 she won her first major art show prize, a one-person museum exhibition. This exhibition was a “sellout”, and the success encouraged her to start seriously marketing her work. The uniqueness of her style and the warmth generated by her subject matter quickly won her widespread recognition.

This Society now has some 38 active chapters and a membership of approximately 15,000 members. P. Buckley Moss is both the Society’s inspiration and its “battle cry” as it spreads the artist’s messages of concern and optimism for what might otherwise be forgotten and misunderstood children and adults. To learn more about the Society, visit their website, www.mosssociety.org.

In 1995 the P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children’s Education was formed to help children with learning disabilities to succeed in school and in life. The Foundation encourages the use of the visual and performing arts in all educational programs, but especially those involving children who learn differently.

The Foundation hosts an annual teachers conference, a forum for sharing cutting edge methods of art-based education. The Foundation also grants regular teacher and student awards. To learn more about the Foundation, visit their website, www.mossfoundation.org.

Pat Moss in her art and in her life seems to “speak” a language that ordinary folks are able to understand. Talent, determination, intelligibility, a little luck, and lots of caring are all parts of the Moss phenomenon. These are the attributes that constitute Moss’ life and fill her art. For many who know her work and are familiar with her life and her upbeat philosophy, she truly is “THE PEOPLE’S ARTIST”.

For more information about Pat and her work, order the DVD, “P. Buckley Moss: The Lady Behind the Brush”, a documentary by WVPT Public Television.