KATHY E WATSON
Overview
Since arriving in the Waikato region of New Zealand after living in Auckland for 25 years, where I painted and exhibited mainly marine work in oils, mixed media and watercolour (see Archived Work), my focus has been on the kaleidoscope of rural features in this amazing setting.
As in previous series of work, an idea conceptualises itself in my head and I reach for my sketch pad. This maybe generated by a fleeting image as I drive through the diverse Waikato Landscape, by the lakes and mountains, the greenness of the pastures, an ancient forest of native trees, wetlands stretching to the distant horizon and isolated signs of habitation.
Overview
Since arriving in the Waikato region of New Zealand after living in Auckland for 25 years, where I painted and exhibited mainly marine work in oils, mixed media and watercolour (see Archived Work), my focus has been on the kaleidoscope of rural features in this amazing setting.
As in previous series of work, an idea conceptualises itself in my head and I reach for my sketch pad. This maybe generated by a fleeting image as I drive through the diverse Waikato Landscape, by the lakes and mountains, the greenness of the pastures, an ancient forest of native trees, wetlands stretching to the distant horizon and isolated signs of habitation.
Waikato Gardens also feature due to the climate and volcanic soil which lend themselves to abundant growth.
The finished work is both painterly and narrative for the viewer to meditate upon.
The finished work is both painterly and narrative for the viewer to meditate upon.
However a new series of Pop Tondos emerged during the covid years, when I mastered the Coreldraw software to produce 80 plus digital drawings for my husband's book on Geothermal Engineering (published by Springers, New York). These artworks are a completely departure from my landscape work and challenged my creativity! They are a fascinating combination of hybrid image making, combining digital and physical media to bring an exciting contemporary vision to the studio.
After many decades of working with all types of media and subject matter, sketching as a child, visiting galleries worldwide, graduating from art school in later life and exhibiting work in Auckland galleries for several decades (see archived work), , I continue to create in my 80's - my studio is my happy place!
KEW 2024