Patterson began his career by taking on every ethical art assignment he could find, whether it was designing brochures, doing wall murals or even painting addresses on curbs. His dedication began to pay off in the 1970s, when his art work was exhibited as one-man shows in galleries and major department stores. He also created artwork for large corporations, including
Hallmark and
Sony, and received numerous awards for his efforts. He was Art Director for the 1970 Academy Award-winning short film "
The Magic Machines" and received an Award of Excellence from the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1976. Beginning in the 1980s, Patterson concentrated on creating humorous illustrations that were produced on numerous commercial products and accepted into the
Los Angeles County Museum of Art and
Basketball Hall of Fame. In addition, his cartoons were featured in promotional campaigns nationwide for corporations including
Subway,
Pepsi-Cola,
Crystal Light,
7-Eleven and
Circle K. Today, Patterson's work remains active and substantially successful in the international market. More than thirteen million prints, ten million calendars, and several millions of checks and greeting cards featuring Patterson's illustrations have been bought, sold, mailed and given throughout the world. == Personal life ==