“Paper Gardens”
My mixed media work over the last two years that you are viewing is my tribute to Florals and botanicals in a semi abstract style. Mixed media has released my inhibitions around staying within boundaries or expectations. I've ventured into places that are foreign to anything I have explored in the past. Some have commented to me “ I like your more realistic work you used to do !” and others have celebrated with me as I become someone new. Don’t we all morph into someone new in different chapters of life in many ways ? We grow, we age and we find new paths of creating our reality.
“I have lost who I was, and I am becoming who I am”
This group of 38 is a collection of semi abstract florals and do not have an individual story behind each piece. They tell a story as a whole and each piece was done intuitively. This is my growth and exploration as a Mixed Media Artist. They each have a name but they are a Garden as one. My collection of mixed media art journals were created by upcycling used thrift store books and homemade journals . They are an important part of the journey and are a constant in my art practice.
The work is created on many substrates. Watercolour paper, sheets of music, pieces of packing paper, and canvas board. I create my own collage papers on various types of paper using a gel plate, my own linocut stamps, tools and stencils. When creating a piece I use many mediums depending on what draws me at the time. My materials include Acrylic, watercolour, soft pastel, water soluble coloured pencils and graphite sticks, Charcoal sticks, collage paper, oil pastels and oil sticks, gold and copper leaf, acrylic inks, alcohol ink markers and acrylic posca pens.
Enjoy the work and I hope you are inspired.
Bio: Cathy Painter
Cathy is a local Portage la Prairie resident who has a passion for painting that started in 1998 while raising her family on a peaceful acreage with her husband Murray close to Austin Manitoba. During the years at home with her family and needing to heal from a near death trauma she found that creative outlets were helpful as well as raising a small herd of sheep during that period of time. Beginning with acrylics she self taught and by 2000 was entering juried shows and preparing exhibits. She continued to paint and build her skills as well as her career with the Credit Union that began in 2002 once the children were in school. In 2018 Cathy retired from the Credit Union. Since then her art practice has become a daily activity and some exhibiting resumed as well as teaching. While teaching classes she began exploring multiple mediums again that she had put aside during her working years and developed a love for mixed media and art journaling.
Today Cathy would call herself a Mixed Media Artist as she uses many mediums in her work to create unique original pieces and enjoys sharing her knowledge with friends and students alike. Her home is her gallery and her studio. She teaches at Prairie Fusion Arts and Entertainment and sits on the board of directors there. Her wish is that everyone find their creative outlet for the days they just need peace and contentment. No expectations, no rules, no conformity to a standard, Just create something.