JERRY WOLKOWITZ Demetrius Patterson, Tinton Falls, holds onto his original artwork to ensure that it is available to the public. His work is currently on display at the Red Bank Library.

Demetrius Patterson has always been an observer of people. He notices things other people don’t, then creates vibrant paintings replete with details that add a touch of gentle humor to the everyday stories he tells.

Patterson has a penchant for picking up on offbeat details that help define the character of his subjects — like fuzzy slippers on an elderly woman or a shirt that can no longer stretch over the paunch of a sedentary retiree.

"When I look at people, there’s something I see about them," admitted the Tinton Falls artist. "It could be that their hair is all messy or their glasses are on crooked. You may not notice it, but I do. Those little things other people overlook, I notice."

Scenes of everyday life in the biracial community where he lives and works are the focus of Patterson’s distinctive and highly personal style and his acrylic paintings are currently on display at the Red Bank Public Library on West Front Street in Red Bank through Dec. 26.

His unique perspective means Patterson’s paintings are loaded with details that serve as visual cues — the name on a dog tag, or the dragonflies who are amused spectators in a duck hunting blind — that can’t all be taken in at one viewing.

"It’s like a puzzle. You can look at it the first time and think you’ve seen everything, but when you go back and look again, you see something you hadn’t notice the first time," explained the Tinton Falls artist. "You can stand there for a long time and see things you didn’t expect."

His large-scale works take a lot of time to complete, and Patterson generally has several paintings in progress at the same time, returning to add yet another layer of color or detail.

"It takes me a while to complete a painting because I do large pieces, and people can see a lot of stories in them," he noted.

While they appear light-hearted and whimsical, Patterson’s works often present social commentary.

"I’m observing things about what’s going on in society and as I observe, I paint them," he said.

"Dead End" refers to the blight of drug abuse in some communities, he explained. Drawing on personal experience, Patterson created a scene that captures the effects on a family of drug abuse by a member, and the hopelessness that comes with abuse of drugs and alcohol.

More often, his work is a humorous take on everyday circumstances.

"When I paint, the laughter is coming through the painting," he explained. "There’s a twist to it. A lot of painters do realistic work. It’s like making a soup. You may like a little more seasoning. I’m the type of person who might add a little more spice."

In "Young at Heart" Patterson sends an intergenerational message. The painting of an elderly couple demonstrating dance steps from their youth for their grandchildren is a depiction of family unity across generations and about being young at heart.

Part of the Red Bank Library exhibit, "The Observers" is a hilarious take on a group of clueless duck hunters who have marshaled every type of gear to lure their prey to a duck blind. The joke is on the foursome, however, as they ignore the frantic efforts of their retriever to call attention to the live ducks swimming among the decoys.

Patterson often focuses on retirees, and two examples in the exhibit touch gently and humorously on this stage of life.

With bright colors and busy patterns, Patterson’s "The Dozer" looks in on a grandmother who has earned the right to a midday nap after years spent raising a family and working hard. Based on a neighbor, the painting captures the bright pattern of her house dress and the fuzzy slippers she is wearing as her cat naps at her feet.

According to Patterson, "The Retired Gentleman" is a humorous compilation based on his father and his cronies. The painting captures a typical leisurely morning for the retiree, Patterson said, showing him with the accoutrements of retirement — slippers and casual dress, the daily newspaper, coffee, danish, a radio nearby and a paunch developed as a result of his sedentary lifestyle.

"They’re meant to make a person feel good," Patterson explained about his works. "They’re humorous but realistic, and they give you something to think about."

A work in progress for several years is a mural Patterson is painting at Mahala F. Atchison School in Tinton Falls. The 7-by-12-foot mural depicts the life and career of the longtime and beloved educator who came to the area in the 1920s and remained a community activist and respected educator until her death in 1985.

A self-taught artist, Patterson has exhibited at local venues including juried shows at the Art Alliance, Monmouth Museum and Brookdale Community College, and he has won numerous awards for his paintings.

Patterson’s style has been likened to that of American primitive painters. Yet, while he cites painters like Grandma Moses as an influence, he says his work isn’t defined by a particular genre.

"Some say folk, some say pop art, but it’s just me," he maintained. "I do it from the passion of it."

He also deflects definition of his art based on the fact that he is African-American.

"I don’t consider myself a black artist doing black work," he explained. "I do whatever I feel. My work is non-ethnic. People from all ethnic groups smile at my paintings, and whenever I can make someone laugh or smile for a moment, that’s what makes it worthwhile."

Patterson said he is committed to making his art accessible to the community by taking it where people can experience it. So, while some artists eschew them, he exhibits at outdoor craft shows, and he will be stationed at the Red Bank Library as one of the attractions during First Night Red Bank on New Year’s Eve.

To ensure public exposure, Patterson won’t sell any of his works. "I’ve had offers for my paintings, but I’m not ready to sell them yet. Not yet," he said.

For now, he reserves the right to reproduce the images on T-shirts, mugs, even refrigerator magnets to make sure they are accessible to a public that may not have access to art gallery walls.

"Some people disagree, but how will other people enjoy your work?" he asked.

"If you’ve been raised in the culture of art, you can appreciate art. But some haven’t had the opportunity to learn about and appreciate art. I’m trying to reproduce my paintings so people can afford my art as a print, a notecard, a T-shirt," he explained.

He draws inspiration, he said, from the enjoyment viewers derive from his exuberant scenes.

"It makes me feel good when people enjoy my work," he explained. "Take 9/11. A lot of people are still upset and depressed. They come across my table and it makes me feel good to hear them get a laugh out of it. It helps to keep me going.

"I don’t make a ton of money," he acknowledged, "but think about it — hearing people tell me how my paintings make them feel, it tells me I’ve accomplished something."