Welcome
Catherine McTurk is an artist based in Whitstable, Kent. Influenced by rolling hills and changing skies as well as the seascapes from home and her travels, Cathy’s artistic style has developed from her background working with glass, evident in her use of transparency and layering of colour, allowing the eye to seek beyond the picture plane with physicality and fluidity.
'“The act of painting offers me the freedom to be spontaneous, to explore colour and rhythm in mark-making. There is often the underlying element of order in chaos - (control vs. random).”
Artist Statement
Having worked in architectural stained glass in my early career, I still resonate with architectural scale. Employing the sweep of my arm in gestural mark making makes a reference to physical space. Rhythm and dance refers to my physical sense of space. Layered application of paint gives a feeling of depth. The viewer will experience discoveries adding personal meaning to the work.
I work on a variety of handmade papers: Lotka paper from Nepal, Indian Khaddi rag paper, Japanese rice paper, and Mulberry paper from Thailand. For mark making, I use Sumi ink, acrylic paints, and collage materials including silk. I sometimes spray through net curtain and lace. Larger works are glued to stretched canvas and mat varnished. This enables a tactile connection with the work.