Page 22 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 46 Winter 2024

figurative and seascapes and snowscapes.
Italy Painting, P. Corbett
singing for herself and at the same time raising three
children with her husband by her side. Her brothers Dillon Montana. Her unexpected adventure launched
and sisters were lost and the family was in chaos. her career as a concert artist for The Concert Artist
When asked if she and her husband could take three Series at Columbia resulting in travel to over 30
of her siblings, their decision seemed like the only one different cities in the US! That was the beginning of
they could make to ensure the well-being and safety.
The youngest was 12.
Patricia was eventually offered a job in Hollywood
with the Johnny Mann show, Stand Up and Cheer, a
weekly television show that featured so many well-
known stars and singers as Dinah Shore, Florence
Henderson, John Denver, Edie Adams, Henry Fonda
and so many more. Patricia was fortunate to have
been one of the Johnny Mann Singers. They were also
honored with an invitation to perform at the White
House. Because of the theme of Johnny’s show, it
was even more of an honor to have been selected
to perform. On this half hour musical TV series, host
Johnny Mann, with his singers and assorted guests,
sang musical songs reminiscent of the good old U.S.A.
The singers toured to select venues like Las Vegas
and other parts of the country. It was a wonderful and
exciting experience meeting the celebrities, something
she will always cherish. What fun!
One of the most prestigious music agencies for
any up and coming artist to be represented by was
Columbia Artist Management. To this day it is still
the agency want to be belong to. The Vice President
of Columbia called Patricia one late Saturday night
after a fellow artist had cancelled and asked Patricia
to step in at the last moment. When the call came
through, Patricia without hesitation, jumped at this
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golden opportunity to sing in the middle of winter in
her concert career. She moved to NYC and continued
Little Boy, P. Corbett
Wallingford Magazine – Winter 2024
Puerto Rico, P. Corbett
her career as an opera singer performing in operas
and concerts throughout the country. She made it
onto the stages of many prestigious houses, not the
MET, but indeed, came very close to stepping through
those very famous doors. How many can boast such
a career! She sang Mimi in Puccini’s, La Boheme and
Violetta in Verdi’s, La Traviata.
Onto Broadway! She sang Madame La Goulue on
Baz Luhrmann’s product of La Boheme, so exciting.
New York City, if you can make it there….well, you
know the rest!
In 2005 she and her second husband, who
worked for a company located in Wallingford, moved
to town so he would be closer to his office. Eventually,
Patricia known for her kindness and generosity
wanted to give her time and talent to a church
fundraiser, the Cameroon Water Filtration cause
hosted by the First Congregational Church. Having a
well-known reputation in the music world, her benefit
concert at the church raised nearly $12,000! Her
neighbor and friend joined her Gina Dunlap also sang
and played guitar with Jeanette Gross, the church
music director as the pianist.
In her new home, Patricia returned to teaching
voice and once again began serious painting which
gave her the opportunity to meet local artists which
in turn helped her reach out to the art world around
Wallingford and nearby art communities. She
eventually joined over fifteen art clubs and did art
workshops in Italy and France over the years. At the
CT Women Artists she just retired from being a council
member.
Her well-known paintings of the Merritt Parkway
landscapes and bridges rendered in a mix of the
French and Californian impressionistic style is a
body of work lauded in CT. She also is known for her
WallingfordMagazine.com
Artist, William McCarthy from Hamden, also
well known workshops in Farnese, Italy took
a group of 10-12 artists for an unforgettable
experience of their life. Expenses paid for a
rustic roman style room and wonderful food
all provided by hired chef, Amabile. The villa is
privately owned and is situated on a beautiful
pastoral scene, an artists dream come true.
Imagine staying in a historic villa nestled among
wineries and olive trees. Patricia and her fellow
artists would choose their genre based on the
lighting of that morning or afternoon shadows.
It was either from the large art studio above
or setting up an easel on the outdoor garden
pathways amongst the olive grove. In 2018 she
returned to Farnese on her own and stayed for two
months. It was an experience she will always cherish.
Her paintings certainly show the beauty and lushness
of her surroundings. Looking at them you feel as if
you were there with her. She also pursued workshops
at the Academie de las Grande Chaumiere in Paris.
Currently her art is displayed at BACA Art Gallery
in Branford, CT as well as the Spectrum Gallery in
Centerbrook, CT. She continues her oil painting in her
own private studio in Wallingford.
Now her whole life was and is ART. John
Massimino, an artist well known throughout the art
world in CT, actually was a guest invited by Patricia to
critique works of art from various Wallingford artists.
She met him through Stefano Panno at the Half Moon
Cafe in Wallingford which is right down the street
from her art studio. It was an incredible experience
for the artists to be at the critique. They all knew his
worldly reputation and were honored he spent time
with them. He is well known for his exhibits in the U.S.
and Italy. He has received endless accolades for his
The artist in her studio.
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