Kathryn Gibson O’Regan

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

The focus of my work is an exploration of how art embodies the relationship of people with their landscape.

In our universe all forms of life are interconnected - nothing exists in isolation.  I am inspired by the line of infinity, which occurs in the landscapes of the plains, sea and mountains.   It transports me.  I experience a sense of oneness, a twining with the universe.  As I access my creativity, I am transformed from an organism drifting on the oceans of the universe, to become a more conscious part of the ecosystem.

It is often said that an Artist becomes a conduit, a messenger and that the act of making art is a willful and intentional process. Throughout time our task has been to transcribe political, social, moral and intellectual issues into an artistic vocabulary. The ultimate purpose of my observations is to create an artifact that embodies the plurality of universal interconnectedness.  I aspire to induce a reaction in the viewer that may bring them to an acute awareness of the immediate and distant impact of their behaviours on the living and non-living environment.

In the case of ceramic art, it is a unique cultural activity, one that contains art, science, and technology.  This alchemy is ultimately translated into unique works fulfilling more than a utilitarian purpose.

My interest in ceramics is primarily sculptural.  The work is completed through a hand building process, which may include integrated thrown elements. The resulting forms are organic and spring from examining rhythms, patterns and cycles within the landscapes of my travels.

Often my designs serve the dual purpose of acting as wall pieces or three-dimensional stand alone sculptures.  I frequently incorporate the technique of slumping glass through openings in the pieces.

Here within the Coast Region the atmosphere shifts constantly, providing a never-ending variance of hue.  In an effort to depict such a variance of light in a painting, I use multiple thin layers of pigment mixed with acrylic gel and medium to build depth to the canvas.   I use both brush and palette knife and combinations of both tools, to achieve the desired effect.  This process allows light to refract through the layers of colour without obliterating the underlying painting

The reflective elements in my paintings and sculptures transport the viewer into the interior of the piece where their own image becomes embodied in the work. They are merged into this new dimension.  Simultaneously their reaction and a new awareness are revealed to them. 

Kathryn Gibson O’Regan
Studio: #255-975 Vernon Drive,
Vancouver BC V6A 3P2
604-831-8429
www.kathrynartist.com
koregan@novuscom.net