In 2018, I applied to the Gibraltar Point Artscape Artist Residency program and was accepted to the residency along with my friend and fellow artist, Karen Wynne Mackay. Both of us were so inspired by the experience of immersing ourselves in our art practices for a concentrated time, we applied again in 2019.
Both of us were again accepted and traveled to Toronto Island in May along with three other artist friends from various art disciplines. Then along came 2020 with great plans to add two additional artists to the group and again spend an awesome week on Toronto Island. BUT... the world changed in 2020 and we had to postpone our artist residency until 2021. Even though the best laid plans were upended the group committed themselves to creative activities during that week in May and furthered our hunts for inspiration by meeting on Zoom to see each other and talk about what we had done that week. Since then we are known as the 7 Works Collective and we still meet regularly on Zoom and are beginning to host exhibitions together. In 2021, with extreme covid restrictions, we managed to attend the residency with our extended group. With covid still raging in 2022 we chose to skip that year. But in 2023, with renewed spirits and supplies in hand, we hopped the train this time and had an amazingly beautiful week of fabulous weather and renewed inspirations. Our schedules usually began with solo walks to the beach, returning to the shared kitchen for breakfast, then off to our studios for some heads down creation. Periodically through the day, if a studio door was open we'd pop in for a chat and coffee, then back to the work at hand until lunch, followed by more work occasionally punctuated by a spin on our vintage rental bikes. At the end of the day, we would gather and pick an island restaurant for our evening meal after which we might finish up a studio idea then gather in one studio to chat about the day's work. Always interesting and always inspiring. This new series "Melodies and Motion", examines the rhythmic movements throughout history that have been part of human existence since its origins, taking the forms of music, dance and rituals that combine both music and movement. In Melodies and Motion, I examine this bonding within communities through the wispy, thin lines created with wire, embellished with sparks of colour, using coloured anodized aluminum, threaded though the wire constructions. These strips of coloured metal symbolize the dancer or dancers as they move in sync to the music as illustrated by the wires. I am translating the expressive physical art form of dance into a secondary static expression that embodies the choreographed motion of dancers and musicians. Music and dance performance has swung throughout history from free form celebratory individual/independent motions to restricted “immoral” dancing to formalized costumed and staged entertainment. As a visual artist I never create without music playing in the background. I am convinced this influences the outcome of my work’s aesthetic ideas and emotions and connects subtly to my audience when in this series.
MEET CATHERINE GUTSCHE ON CANVASREBEL I was honoured to be interviewed by the folks at CAVASREBEL this month. So many questions that made me really sit down an reflect on my path as an artist from the early years to today. I hope that you learn a few new things about me and my art. Some surprises may be revealed. "We were lucky to catch up with Catherine Gutsche recently and have shared our conversation below.Catherine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally. As with many artists, I knew I wanted to be an artist from a very early age. My first memory of a creative endeavour was the creation of a paper bag puppet at summer day camp. It is crazy to think that I bought my very first computer by making puppets and selling them at craft fairs later in life. As for knowing that I would be an artist professionally that process started in junior high school when I was desperate to know how to get into art schools. I think the guidance counsellors thought I was pushing it, I was only in grade 8, I had lots of time to figure it out. But I wanted to know I was on the right path." Continuum : a range or series of things that are slightly different from each other and that exist between two different possibilities. April, 2023 at Centre Culturel Le Chenail Cultural Centre 2 rue John St., Hawkesbury, ON K6A 1X3 lechenail@gmail.com www.lechenail1975.com 613.632.9555 Meet the artists: Friday March 31, 4-8pm Enjoy some wine & cheese along with live music. blairmackaymusic.com Continuum uses collaborative art to explore the boundaries of abstract painting, collage, embroidery, mosaic, silk fibre drawing and photography to create cohesive but distinct works of art from a single inspiration/starting point. These techniques are used individually, and in combination, to create variations on a theme, all inspired by the prompt.
In our selected collaborative piece, a chosen photograph will be divided into six numbered sections - each artist interpreting an assigned section. There will be freedom to create a piece, solely based on the photograph section with minimal group discussion. The interpretations will then be assembled by section, to hang as a whole. Each artists’ techniques will be merged on a single canvas or chosen support to create a continuous integration of styles. The decision to have no restrictions in sizes and spacing is deliberate, adding another element to the whole. The creative and technical elements contribute to its unique characteristics. When working with a single artist’s challenge or prompt we allow for in-depth discussions of the prompt, progress reports and “show and tell” - over Zoom and at our annual Artscape Gibraltar Point artists residency. The creative outcomes over the last 3 years (soon to be 4 years) have reflected world thoughts and attitudes, personal feelings and escapes. And always with a nod to the artistic continuum. The year has begun with me experimenting with another sculptural avenue. I acquired some colourful anodized aluminum sheets, thin enough to cut by hand and gently bend by hand. Expanding on my wire work where I added some splash of colour, I moved quickly into small sculptures entirely made from the aluminum. The first few attempts were failures due to my lack of cutting skills but I feel that I am now mastering better control and have a diamond file to smooth out imperfections.
I'm still interested in expressing movement, freezing it as it is seen in a fleeting moment. In the case of the work with flat surfaces, I'm feeling that these look very much like dancers. Sometimes a single dancer and sometimes a couple synchronized in their motion. I also discovered that some of my impromptu sketchbook work is also reflecting lines and shapes in motion. It's December! How did that happen? It's that time of year when we look back and see what has happened during the year. As in the previous year, there has been plenty of time spent staying home and only dining at outdoor venues. Zoom featured high on my schedule of being "social". The benefit is that I didn't have to buy an airfare to California to attend three vernissage events for three exhibitions that my work was in. Online workshops have been fun thanks to entrepreneurial artists who have worked hard to offer their skill on zoom, meaning I never had to figure out how to pack my supplies and the logistics of how to get to far flung locations along with the cost of accommodation. Not to mention jet lag. My solo installation exhibition at the Sivarulrasa Gallery in Almonte was wonderful although the opening "party" had to be on zoom still. But that worked out will as the main street in Almonte was under construction anyway, not fit for high heels. Last month the gallery's 8th Anniversary vernissage group exhibition was in-person with limited numbers AND sidewalks. October gave us (the 7 Works Collective) a window of opportunity to go to Montreal for some major gallery hopping, awesome food and weather that was like summer. If all goes well we do that again in the spring. Here's wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous end to 2022 with the hope that 2023 brings you abundant joy. The show is on! It took 7 days for the gallery staff to install the 8th ANNIVERSARY SHOW at the Sivarulrasa Gallery in Almonte - the biggest show of the year. Covering all 3 sections of the Gallery, and running from November 9th until December 30th. 28 artists from coast to coast will be exhibiting sculpture, paintings, drawings, photography and mixed media works – a festive time of year to add to your collection or start a new one.
Featured artists: Sue Adams, Sarah Anderson, Deborah Arnold, Carol Bajen-Gahm, Gizem Candan, Elaine Carr, Dale Dunning, Barbara Gamble, Catherine Gutsche, Karen Haines, Jim Hake, George Horan, Jane Irwin, Gayle Kells, William Liao, Susan Low-Beer, Iryna Merkulova, Jihane Mossalim, Mary Pfaff, Michael Pittman, Marina Raike, Wendy Robertson, Cathy Ross, Sanjeev Sivarulrasa, Louis Thériault, Susan Tooke, Eric Walker, Mirana Zuger. Vernissage/Meet the Artists Reception Saturday November 12th from 2pm-5pm ** I will be in attendance from 2-3pm ** (Pre-registration is not required). Please feel free to be comfortable wearing your mask, you are welcome to do so. More exhibition information and photos: https://sivarulrasa.com/exhibitions/8th-anniversary-show/ Visit the Virtual Gallery for available works: https://virtualgallery.sivarulrasa.com/
As many of you already know my studio over the garage has no heat. I does have Air Conditioning now after finding a second hand portable a/c unit. Yippee! Now I no longer feel like I'm in a hot yoga class in the summer months. Heating is another issue though. I do have a small portable heater that extends the season by a good month either side of the summer. So now that we are in the fall months I'm spending as much time as possible in the studio, squeezing as much time as possible out of the good weather before I must move all my water media inside the house. That's when I'll take over the dining room. No dinner parties here!
I'm concentrating currently on some really fun 8" x 8" works on paper that I mount onto panels later. These small pieces pack a lot of punch in a small space. It's a great way to grab some colours that I might not normally gravitate to just on a whim for that 'I wonder if...' chance that I'll find a surprisingly pleasing palette. Something I could repeat at a larger size down the road.
September offered us the opportunity to take a short break with some actual time AWAY. It was timed well enough that we were still able to have our meals out, outdoors. Evenings were chilly but those infrared heaters kept us toasty warm. Now I am reflecting on where we were (Prince Edward County) and what we saw. For artists we always look at places we visited and immediately think... "how can I make this into a painting?"
Now that we are home again I'm working my way through my photos and memories of this time away. Hmmm, which images or feelings will make their way into my October work?
On August 4th we hung a new show at the Arbor Gallery in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. This is exhibition is the first group show for the 7 Works Collective. Our story is as follows...
"The 7 Works Collective Artists had plans in 2020 to travel to Toronto Island for an Artists' Residency. But, as often happened in 2020, well laid plans were derailed due to the COVID pandemic. Unable to attend the Artists' Residency in person, the seven artists did their best to adapt to the situation and made plans to regularly "meet" virtually to see what we were all working on. It was during one of these meetings the plan was hatched to challenge each other to biweekly art prompts. Each artist would show a work of art in their medium and the remaining 6 artists would create a piece in their own medium based on the visual prompt. Each artists' response is in their own voice."
There was a casual meet & greet after the exhibition was installed. On Sunday August 28 you can meet the artists and learn about this Artists' Residency that was re-worked to keep the group creative during the roller coaster past few years. It is at this exhibition where the artists have, for the first time, viewed our work all together hanging in this beautiful gallery.
Come and meet us on Sunday August 28 between 3-4pm. Click here to buy the 96 page book about the exhibition. |
Catherine Gutsche
I am preoccupied by the intuitive journey that paint takes me on with its colour and texture when working with layers that can be revealed through scratching back, rubbing away or lifting, to bring back the history of the previous layers. Archive
|