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August—Katherine Taylor

August 2 at 10:00 am - September 3 at 7:00 pm

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Painting the Invisible: Unveiling What’s Under the Sheen

Opens August 2, from 3-7pm during the Old Mill District’s First Friday Gallery Walk

 

 

Close-up of a cougar and oil painting by Katherine Taylor
Katherine Taylor oil painting, Cougar Unveiled, is a dynamic close-up meant to bring the viewer into the cougar’s wild world.

 

 

 

Katherine Taylor focuses this body of work on depicting the underlying mystery of her subjects, as a way to understand the invisible
qualities lurking just below the surface of a person, animal, landscape or even a bowl of fruit.

Classically trained artists like Katherine  learn techniques to recreate a 3-dimensional effect on a 2-dimensional surface (like a canvas).
“It’s fun and amazing to be able to achieve this 3-D effect, but it’s still not enough to create a great work of art.
I am sure you have seen paintings of subjects that are accurately rendered but devoid of any emotion or meaning.
I attempt is to break through the sheen of realism to a deeper level of meaning.”

 

A figurative oil painting of a woman in the southwest by Katherine Taylor
With “Bohemia Unveiled” Katherine Taylor makes an reflective oil portrait of a woman in beautiful peach light.

 

 

Katherine believes mastery can only be achieved when an artist goes beyond realism to capture the essence of a portrayal, or the “soul.”
Even inanimate subjects —places and objects— have a soul or essence that we can feel.

Painting essence is not always easy, however. Sometimes an artist attempts to capture it by depicting movement and rhythm, as if there is a before and after
taking place within that one snapshot in time. Sometimes essence is achieved by illustrating the underlying emotion or intention of the subject.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of painting the electromagnetic wavelength of light that brings the object into being (because without light,
of course, nothing would be visible). “That is why I always pay as much attention to painting the light surrounding a subject as I do the person, animal,
or object itself. Light energy is mystical and helps to reveal ‘essence.’ ”

 

Buffalo on a ranch in late afternoon lighting by Katherine Taylor
Great American Bison show a resting herd in warm afternoon lighting. An oil painting by Katherine Taylor, the Three Sisters in the Cascade mountains create the backdrop.

 

All the paintings in this show are Katherine’s attempts to paint the invisible, and trying to live up to Rick Rubin’s wise adage…
“Artists allow us to see what we are unable to see, but somehow already know.”

 

peppers still life painted by Katherine Taylor in oil
Peppers Unveiled is an example of Katherine Taylor’s dramatic chiaroscuro lighting and luminous glazing.

 

We  look forward to seeing you at the August 2, First Friday Gallery Walk in Bend, Oregon’s Old Mill District! If you can’t make the opening party
make sure to drop in during the month to see this vibrant and insightful exhibit of 10 new oil paintings by Katherine Taylor.

Our galleries in the Old Mill District — Lubbesmeyers Studio & Gallery, Stacks Studios & Gallery (just upstairs),
and Amejko (in the little red house) along with Tumalo Art Co. are the hub, and various stores host artists
for the First Friday Gallery Walk every month. Stop by—we have flyers and can direct you.

 

Details

Start:
August 2 at 10:00 am
End:
September 3 at 7:00 pm