Patrick Donovan Tobin was born in Los Angeles, California in the summer of 1950

The Tobin family spent summers in Woods Cove as far back as Patrick and his sister Betty could remember. When their parents, renowned cartoonist Don Tobin and child actress Helen Stone moved the family to Laguna Beach the summer before Patrick’s 2nd grade year, Patrick was thrilled. He loved the ocean, and he was drawn to the outdoors. Living in Laguna Beach would give him the opportunity to spend more time outside with nature.

There was quite the clan of celebrated cartoonists in Laguna Beach during Patrick’s childhood and he grew up influenced by this group of men: his father, the Interlandi brothers, Virgil Partch, John Dempsey and Ed Noiziger. Patrick says he always knew he would be a painter. “My dad knew more about painting than anyone I know. So I was brought up with it, for some reason I never questioned what I was going to be.”

Graduating from Laguna Beach in the class of 1968, Pat received an art scholarship to San Diego State. He moved South and continued surfing and painting as a college student. But the lure of bigger waves and dramatic, unspoiled vistas proved stronger. By 1974 he was living and surfing in south Mexico.

He spent most of his time exploring the wild coastline and remote villages; and was inspired to paint landscapes, working outdoors in the old plein air tradition. Both his father Don, and Patrick’s friend Jan Kasprzycki - another surfer/painter from Laguna Beach, realized the potential and value of these early paintings and encouraged Patrick to show and sell his work. In the ensuing 30 years, Patrick continued to paint throughout his adopted country of Mexico, where his works were collected by the Governor of Gurerro and Sr. Ernesto Zedillo, president of the Republic of Mexico.

He also traveled throughout Europe, Hawaii, and back to California developing his distinct style.

Throughout his life, Patrick remained a risk-taker. Whether he was exploring new places, riding the giant waves he loved or creating art, he remained daring and uninhibited. Though his landscapes are wildly popular, Patrick has experimented successfully with character studies, multi-media colleges and block prints. He could paint on anything-wood, glass, bamboo, his ‘canvas’ was whatever suited his mood or reflected the feelings he wanted to convey in his work. 

His art evolved and re-evolved, his palette ever-changing; and as always, Patrick Tobin’s paintings simply don’t stand still. He exhibited a singular command of composition that made him unique among contemporary artists.