Nick Patten grew up in Troy, New York. In his twenties he lived in Vermont and on Nantucket, then eventually moving to New York City where he worked in the art world and painted in his spare time.

After deciding to paint full time, Patten and his wife chose to move to Cape Cod where they opened a gallery and he built a strong reputation. Later they moved to Hudson Valley where he continued to develop his work and show it nationwide. Since 2019 Patten has resided in Providence, RI where he maintains a home studio.

Patten's work begins with using reference photos, but through his "process of exlcusion" he takes liberties in removing objects and adding others from his imagination. After settling on a composition, he chooses bold lighting and colors to add drama to everyday settings. Through deeply emotional, Patten doesn't want to manipulate the viewers feelings, hoping instead they can draw their own narative.