Patience Lovell Wright: A Pioneer of American Sculpture Patience Lovell Wright (born Lovell; 1725 – March 23, 1786) was a remarkable figure in the history of American art. She is widely recognized as the first recognized American-born sculptor, achieving prominence during the colonial era and beyond. Early Life and Background Born in Oyster Bay, New York, into a Quaker farm family in 1725, Patience Lovell’s early life was characteriz…