Studio 2016
My work is primarily focused on nature and our stewardship of the planet. My earliest paintings were in an expressive representational style that eventually evolved to abstraction. I now seek a moment of quiet in my work, a deep breath that I share with my audience. Through interaction and intervention with my materials I endeavor to capture the spirit of the observed world.
During my graduate studies I began experimenting with paint application and materials, employing a technique that I continue to develop today.
I build my paintings out of layers of transparent glaze. This slow and meditative process creates luminous color and a richness of surface that references industrial finishes. These experiments with oil paint application have become essential to my practice. In my most recent paintings and drawings I explore the visual evidence of climate change. Simultaneously, I continue to test the limitations of the materials I am working with. It is my hope that these aesthetically pleasing images lead the viewer to contemplate the dire circumstances that inspire them.
Kate MacKinnon, 2020