Opened July 10, 2021
Catharine Newell is an artist working in the Pacific Northwest whose work in fused glass reveals an artist finding a tranquility in the creative space where image and intention mingle with chance and fragility. The stillness of these works conveys a softness of both look and feel, as though the surfaces might be velveteen instead of frozen hard.
The imagery proceeds from luminous washes to organic patterns of intense color. In pieces from the series Of Water the imagery is calming and luxurious like a thickly shaded lane. Meanwhile Afternoon Walk bursts with the yellow/white light of the shade obliterated by the sun.
The works themselves are object-like, hanging off the wall slightly; the shadows creating a framing effect for the works.
The scale is extremely intimate, and the works are all roughly the same size and are all square in shape giving the presentation a serial quality as each work builds on the promise of the one proceeding. Each piece does reflect the aesthetics of the entire group yet each stand on their own as a complete statement of the artist’s process and intention.
Ken Saunders, June 2021
Artist | Catharine Newell