Katherine’s artwork is on view in our juried exhibition “Small Works 2016”.
I am often asked how a native of San Francisco ended up in Rochester, NY. I reply, “It was fate!” After earning a BA in Studio Art with a concentration in Printmaking from California State University at Long Beach, fate took me on a slow eastward journey across the country that eventually ended in Rochester – my home for the past 30 years. Fate also steered me to R.I.T. where I received a Masters in Art Education. This resulted in a long, wonderful career teaching art in Rochester area schools.
After retiring, fate intervened once again. It allowed me to finally focus my energies on my professional art career and led me back to printmaking – my true artistic passion. I have directed my initial efforts towards learning non-toxic processes that afford me the ability to work in my home studio, as well as the Printmaking studio at R.I.T. All forms of printmaking fascinate me. My current efforts are primarily focused however on lithography and etching with an occasional departure to silkscreen. These methods enable me to draw, which is an essential part of my work.
My current imagery stems from a love of old world architecture and a desire to present the grandeur of the urban environment. In our hectic lives, full of distractions, it is often difficult to take a moment to enjoy the beauty around us. In my work, I hope to reconnect the viewer with the elegance and craftsmanship of these architectural features that were missed along the way.
My process usually begins with a photograph that I have taken – in this case, “Casa Batllo” in Barcelona at Antoni Gaudi’s architectural masterpiece.
A drawing is then developed from the photo.
Silkscreen is a shape-based method, so the next step is to develop the color separations on tracing paper or vellum, always keeping in mind that overlapping colors will create additional colors.
Each separation is then transferred to a silkscreen using photo emulsion and a light exposure unit. I use ink dispersions in a transparent base medium which allows for a subtle build up of colors, almost giving the appearance of watercolor.
Each color builds upon the last until all colors have been printed. Below is the completed silkscreen, currently on view at Main Street Arts Gallery, Small Works Exhibition.
Additional works can currently be seen at the Mill Art Center and Gallery, ROCO and the Ink Shop.
Stop by Main Street Arts to see Katherine’s work in our current exhibition “Small Works 2016” (juried by Bleu Cease, Executive Director/Curator of RoCo; exhibition runs through January 6th). Visit her website at www.kcbaca.com.
