A Conversation with Artist Patrick Vale

Patrick Vale: I had already done a large mural at that same site, which wove together views of the city and historical moments I’d learned about during my walks. For this new piece, I wanted to hear directly from Philadelphians, and who better to work with than young artists? They are the future of the city. They offer this incredibly optimistic outlook and a real start-of-the-summer spirit, representing a true portrait of youth in an urban US city. With the USA 250th anniversary approaching, hearing from the next generation felt like the perfect way to celebrate. Earlier in my career, I did a lot of work with young people for the BBC and loved every second of it, so I was actively looking for an opportunity to collaborate again and create something super fun.

A student with Patrick Vale's "My Philly."

How did collaborating with students from La Salle Academy influence or challenge your usual creative process?

The artists from La Salle Academy essentially became my clients. I checked in with them throughout the entire process, first through in-person workshops and later via Zoom when I couldn’t get to Philly. They, along with the staff, were absolutely wonderful to work with. Having your portrait painted is a daunting experience for anyone, but these kids met it head-on with so much confidence. Their enthusiasm was completely inspiring, and it pushed me to work extra hard to make sure I got their portraits exactly right. My biggest creative challenge was actually reining myself in. At one point, I did a version of the mural design with my usual detailed cityscapes layered behind them, but I quickly realized it was distracting. The kids and their artwork had to be the focal point. So, I stripped all the background noise away and just had them standing in front of some large lettering. I learned so much from that restraint.

A student with Patrick Vale's "My Philly."

What were some of the most memorable conversations or moments you shared with the students during the workshops?

What I love about sitting around a table drawing with other artists is that it naturally disarms everyone. The conversation just flows. We talked about everything and nothing at all. They relentlessly ribbed me about my British pronunciation of the word ‘water’… I now know the proper Philly way to say it! We shared candy, passed the time, and I picked up little snippets about their backgrounds while they learned about me in this very informal, relaxed way. Having a collective, creative aim really focused the energy in the room and made those conversations feel special.

The mural feels much more human and emotionally direct compared to some of your earlier city-focused works. Did you consciously want to move in that direction?

Yes, I think so. I really wanted to tell a much more focused story. I was actively looking for an opportunity to paint people and intentionally leave out the dense cityscape elements I usually rely on. I became deeply emotionally involved in painting these young artists because I had gotten to know them, and I desperately wanted to do right by them. How you appear at that age is such a sensitive topic, and I was highly aware of that responsibility while capturing their likenesses.

A student with Patrick Vale's "My Philly."

Why was it important for the students to be shown holding their own drawings within the final piece?

I didn’t actually start off with that final design in my head; it evolved organically alongside the project. There was a specific moment during the workshops when one of the students asked his teacher to find a drawing he had made at Christmas. After searching around the classroom, she found it and handed it to him. He held it up to me and said, ‘I drew this, and I am only eight.’ He was so incredibly proud of himself… It was just the sweetest thing. I knew right then that I wanted to capture that exact feeling. There is something profoundly powerful about a child’s drawing. It is direct, raw, and confident—skills we often lose as we get older. Sometimes it is just easier to communicate through a drawing and some words on a page. By having them hold their art, I hope adults look at these massive portraits, see a bit of themselves, and remember the things they loved to do when they were young.

"My Philly" by Patrick Vale

Philadelphia has become a recurring subject in your work. What keeps pulling you back to the city creatively?

I have some very good friends from Philly who introduced me to the city when I first moved to the States from the UK about ten years ago. My mate’s dad, Chuck, took immense pleasure in driving me around and pointing out all the historical spots where the English ‘got their butt kicked.’ I absolutely loved that humor and felt like I fit right in from the start. People from Philly love Philly, and they are so happy to share their stories. As an artist who feeds off narrative, it was a goldmine. I love history and urban environments, and Philly really has it all when it comes to modern US history. It feels like a grand city, yet it remains incredibly intimate. Beyond that, the public art scene there is the best I have seen anywhere. It just has all the ingredients I look for: Center City is very walkable, the history is everywhere, the art is incredible, and the people are direct and funny with this brilliant slight edge. Go Birds.