Orlando Museum of Art

Pat Knipe

Art enthusiast, Pat Knipe, was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, but moved to Orlando, Florida when he was fourteen with his family. He currently lives with his wife, Audrey, of 48 years. He and Audrey have five children. “People ask me if I have lived my whole life in Orlando and I tell them, not yet,” he says with a smile. Pat attended Bishop Moore High School where he was heavily involved in sports. He gradually became interested in art while taking humanities classes at Stetson University.
Pat’s philosophy is that an individual should devote his or her time to both physical and cultural activities. He is currently taking this notion to heart. Pat used to play football in high school, and since he retired from PriceWaterhouse Coopers has began taking piano lessons and collecting art, which he regards as an expensive avocation. “I have reached the plateau of mediocrity,” he says of his piano playing with a chuckle, but Pat’s reasons for becoming an art collector are matter of fact. “I saw a painting I liked and I bought it,” he says. “I really and truly love art. I enjoy talking with artists, some whose pieces I have collected such as Anthony Waichulis.

Most of the pieces that Pat has in his collection are Contemporary American Realism, trompe l’oeil works with mediums ranging from oil, watercolor, and pastel, but he also enjoys the Impressionists and the Pre-Raphaelites. “Most of my collection is still life,” he elaborates, “although I do have some figurative paintings.” He has acquired works from the Winter Park Art Festival, but most of his collection comes from the John Penske Gallery in San Francisco. His latest goal in collecting is to find a painting or series that depicts the four seasons.

In addition to being an Ambassador of the Museum, Pat is a member of the Board of Trustees, the Vice President and Chair of the Finance & Administration Committee and is also a member of the Friends of American Art. “The first thing that probably got me here to the OMA was the Friends of American Art and the lectures that they had in the evenings. I also enjoy the trips that Jan Clanton, the OMA’s Associate Curator of Adult Programs, occasionally leads with the museum to other locations.” Getting to know people who share his interest in art is what Pat likes best about the OMA. From there, Pat was urged by a friend to join the Board of Trustees. Eager to provide additional support for the OMA Pat became an Ambassador in December 2007.
Pat enjoys traveling and has visited numerous museums throughout Europe and the United States. “I look at art and see something new every day. If somebody asks me what painting is my favorite, it depends on what day it is.” I don’t know how to explain how art enriches my life; I just feel good being surrounded by it.”

Written by: Elizabeth Rosenthal