About Tom Patton

Tom Patton has been actively engaged in photography since 1970. Tom received a undergraduate degree in photography (1976) from San Francisco Art Institute and graduate degrees (MA & MFA) from the University of New Mexico (1977 & 1982). Patton has held full-time teaching appointments since 1982. From 1983-2002 Patton headed the photography program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis where he was the architect of their BFA program. Tom joined the faculty of the Department of Art and Art History at California State University, Chico in 2002. Tom now heads the photography area at CSUC and works with BA, BFA and MFA students. In addition Patton has ten years experience as Department Chair, five years each at UMSL and CSUC.

With more than 250 exhibitions and 60 publications, Patton’s work has been widely seen. Tom received photography fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the James D. Phelan Foundation as well as numerous University grants. Patton’s work is included in many public collections including: Australian National Gallery; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; St. Louis Art Museum; Seattle Art Museum; Portland Art Museum; Milwaukee Art Museum; Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego; Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City; and the Crocker Museum of Art, Sacramento.

Please see the resume section of this site for a more complete list of Patton’s accomplishments.