“His craftsmanship is of the highest order and his more abstract polished bronzes are handsome to behold.”

“Tony Paterson’s “Shelter” represents human beings in states of semi-annihilation, stimulating feelings of authentic pity...”

“The Patteran Artists exhibit at the Albright Knox Art Gallery looks quite at home with the contemporary works in the permanent collection facing it. “1-2-3” by Anthony Paterson was outstanding... an excellent metal sculpture.”

“Paterson rewards you with his stylized vocabulary of female forms, distorted pieces that challenge our notions of confinement, and a refined technical skill that’s impressive.

In opposition to Paterson’s beautiful renderings of face and form, the really interesting stuff takes on an entirely darker look and feel. Several pieces feature semi-translucent skulls, most made of an epoxy resin and usually encased — or imprisoned — in a cast bronze enclosure. They deal with ideas of constriction, imprisonment and perhaps mental bondage that are particularly resonant in a piece called “Esclavo,” two gender-opposite totem poles and a series of small objects enclosed in movable bronze encasements.

Paterson obviously has a great affection for the female form, and has created a kind of repetitive symbolism across his form-inspired works: breasts morphed into curved, vertical configurations resembling insect pincers, other parts metamorphosed into what Paterson called a “transgender or transsexual” appearance that suggests a certain universality in physical beauty. There is a gleaming series of small polished brass pieces encased like precious stones. ”

“There was cause for celebration complete with champagne [on the return of this show]... Many of Buffalo notables are represented... Paterson’s The Offering is an especially striking piece of highly polished bronze. An amorphous shape seems to give birth to two human-like figures who struggle to free themselves in a striking contrast between detailed and generalized areas.”

“Successfully explosive intellectually is Paterson’s small plaster study for a larger work, “Soft Form, Female.” Provocatively and frighteningly, Paterson plays with human forms creating totally human freaks of nature. It frightens because to visualize the impossible, brings it into the realm of possibility.”

“It doesn’t take too long to see his inspiration is spurred by the female of the species... a form encased by a gnashing set of spiked teeth; another torturously strung up by hooks... Nothing is ever so specific as to be grotesque or truly offensive, however, as the artist seems, rather, to keenly relate his work to ancient fertility figures.”

“I am amazed by Paterson’s energy, especially the damned handsome sculpture titled “Compulsion.”... a real fine life’s body of meaningful sculpture in taut forms.”

“During over 35 years that I have known Tony, he is one of the rare sculptors I have known with his exceptional ability... his work is beautifully-made. The imagery seems to move from sexual imagery (life) to death imagery. They all look like religious ritual images to me. I can see why he is so enamored of those extravagant and magnificent Mayan and Aztec mysteries.”

“Large pieces loom monumental and mysterious. Tony Paterson’s sculpture is terrifically alive... I still remember with clarity one drawing that outdoes Henry Moore at his own game.”

“One of the few gifted sculptors today working in the figurative tradition. He has undertaken works of rare ambition. He is genuinely driven toward a personal vision, and he has stubbornly resisted an easier course taken by less tenacious sculptors. It is my feeling that his abilities as a sculptor have been overlooked during his lifetime.”

“One of my favorite works is Compulsion by Tony Paterson... This bronze sculpture is made up of strong angular lines depicting a woman astride a man. It manages to be at once both massive and erotic. The lovers arms are one, stretching up and reaching down, and their bodies below the waist merge into a solid block of bronze. The whole emphasizes the essentials of lovemaking—there is nothing else for these people to do—and the same time reminds one of insects; there is the same compulsion to mate, the same delicate but powerful efficient lines.

It seems to me that a park such as this is sorely needed... I had a personal experience of this when viewing Compulsion. A small boy came up and confidently explained to me that it was in fact a horse, whereupon he sat on it to prove his point. And who’s to say he’s wrong?”

“The power of the inner space that lingers between the psyche and the spirit that comes into conflict and sometimes resolution is forcefully expressed in his work. There is a darkness here that may seem ominous but is actually a proclamation of what is… is. There is an explosive sexual energy that relates to the dynamics of life itself, declaring a reality that exploits the physical connection between body and soul… all of the works here have a monumental quality about them.”