Artist Profile: Catherine Howe
In this feature, we turn our attention to the details behind the stunning locations featured in our catalogs. Artist Catherine Howe, a New York creative with an extensive history of exhibitions and critical acclaim, is the talent behind the artwork showcased here. Her bold, expressive pieces bring a distinct energy to the setting, creating a dialogue between art, space, and style.
We sat down with Catherine for a conversation about her work and the art featured in our September campaign.
When you’re not painting, what rituals or daily pleasures feed your creativity—whether in New York City or upstate?
What sustains me and inspires me the most, are my daily forays into the Hudson Valley, whether it’s the formal gardens of the many old estates on the east side of the river, wooded trails, or the lonely farm roads. My creative output springs from these walks through the beauty and drama of this place.
It seems nothing is alive without peril, but it is still a paradise where things grow and flourish.
I have also tended my own one acre flower garden for over 20 years. It literally surrounds my studio and I have to get through it before I can paint. Weeds must sometimes be ignored for the greater good! I love taking that step from the real to the imagined as I go through my studio door.
If you could translate the essence of your paintings into something wearable, what might it look or feel like?
This question makes me think of the statement Matisse made in 1908 (that got him into so much trouble) -
I dream of an art of balance, devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter….a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair that provides relaxation from physical fatigue.
Although I dare not imagine what it would look like, (not a chair!) I can imagine my work becoming something that feels like a sensuous, airy, petal-like embrace for the viewer.
I love using contrasting materials: shiny silver leaf, soft, matte, marshmallow- like paint in thick relief, tiny glass beads coalescing into lyrical drawings and glowing fields of iridescent mineral pigment. If distilled into the experiential, these works might become the bodily sensations of going from rough wool to smooth silk. They could evoke the tactile adventures of mindfully wearing our most favorite clothes each day.
Are there particular colors, textures, or natural forms that you find yourself consistently returning to, and why?
I return consistently to strong, seductive materials and contrasts of sheen and color. A painting may start off at the bottom with a strong fluorescent red, have a cobalt blue in the middle and end up with a pearl white at the top. All the colors underneath are still part of the conversation, although they are not readily seen on the surface. I find this visually complex and mysterious, but also a metaphor for what is seen and unseen in our lives.
I always gravitate towards lyrical, sensuous forms. There may be references to still life painting, but nothing holds still. I started off as more of a realist painter. Now I resist working from observation and rely instead on an instinct and awe. The paintings are somewhat abstract, but they clearly evoke both flowers and the female body, suggesting they are similar in many ways formally, perhaps spiritually.
The process is physically very demanding, especially with the large-scale paintings. I really have to move quickly and decisively be done before the paint starts to dry. It becomes as much a performance as anything else, so in a way, my body is in there too.
UPCOMING EXHIBITS
