About Drew

Drew New 1Drew Patterson is an interpretive exhibit planner, designer and artist who has been working in Texas for over forty years. His work reflects a background in historic preservation, fine arts, graphic arts and exhibit planning and production. Founded in 1972, Drew Patterson Studios opened as a fine art studio. In 1995 Drew began developing museum exhibit designs.

Since then he has designed exhibitions across the state of Texas with clients including the Alamo in San Antonio, The Presidio La Bahía in Goliad, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, and the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum in Cuero, Texas.

Training and Professional Experience

Drew has undergraduate training in art, design, and photography. During the 1960s he served as a photographer in the US Navy for four years with a tour in Vietnam. In 1970 he returned to Austin and the University of Texas where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in anthropology with a concentration in archeology. Drew managed his own fine arts studio for twenty years working on private and public commissions. He returned to his first loves, history and natural science, and has been planning and producing interpretive exhibits for museums for over eighteen years.

He has recently collaborated with Pony Allen and completed the permanent exhibits at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum in Cuero, Texas, and Casa Navarro in San Antonio, and is now working on the Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center in Central Texas.

During his professional career Drew has been called upon to conceptualize interpretive exhibits, determine best use of space, develop floor plans, design exhibit furniture and cases, edit text and scripts, develop story lines, design graphics, produce exhibits, manage installations, and oversee the hiring of subcontractors.

Capabilities

  • Exhibition design/build
  • Complete audio/visual
  • Content development
  • Graphic design
  • Artifact curation and mounting
  • Conservation assistance
  • Space design
  • Presentation materials for financial development
  • Deep working knowledge of major archives and collections
  • Budget development
  • Project oversight and management
  • ADA Guidelines

Affiliations

American Alliance of Museums
Texas Association of Museums
Texas State Historical Association
Historic Sites and Houses Affinity Group
Independent Professionals Affinity Group
National Association of Museum Exhibition