Pati Bannister was born in north London, England, into a family of accomplished artists. After an early career as an illustrator for children's books and the famous English equestrian publication, Riding, she worked as a special effects artist for the J. Arthur Rank film studios where she further developed a keen and sensitive eye for detail and color mixing, and their impact on all aspects of design and composition in a work of art.

In 1952, Pati Bannister moved to the U.S. and later settled on the Mississippi Gulf Coast overlooking a wildlife sanctuary. There she explores the female psyche, posing the young ladies of her imagination with exotic flowers, gossamer fabrics, and filigreed lace in fine Victorian parlors, beside rain-swept windows, along lone country roads. Her juxtaposition of delicate natural beauty with steadfast matter is a key element of Pati Bannister's unique style and extraordinary popularity.