Detail: Birch Tree Forest #1, acrylic on canvas, 22x30 in, 2019.
Victoria artist Katharine Geddes paints with both oils and acrylics. Geddes captures the essence of local scenes in her plein-air abstractions. She also creates landscapes and larger representational works in her studio. Geddes has studied at the Victoria College of Art and Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts.Her studies at the Vancouver Island School of Art (VISA) include a six-week plein-air course with instructor Jeremy Herndl completed in May/June 2020. Her mentors include well-known abstract painters Michelle Miller and Bill Porteous. She is a former-member of the Zebra Art Collective and participates in the annual Fairfield Artist Studio Tour. In June 2020, she participated in the National Arts Drive from her home in Fairfield.
|
Update from August 2022, MISSA and Artizan show Katharine Geddes at a pop-up Artizan show on Oak Bay Ave on August 13, 2022. Katharine just returned from a 5 day plein-air workshop with Jeremy Herndl at MISSA. She loved swimming in Shawnigan Lake at the end of each creative day. Katharine’s cards and contemporary landscape paintings show ocean views and special places around Victoria. "It’s so beautiful here," she says, "why go anywhere?” |
November 2021 Update: Katharine presents her new paintings at the Fairfield Studio Artists on Nov 21, 2021.
Her plein air paintings are from her fall 2021 travels across BC and Alberta.
Her plein air paintings are from her fall 2021 travels across BC and Alberta.
|
|
Sept 2020 Update: Katharine participated in the Fairfield Artist Studio Tour Sept 12 & 13. Lots of smiles in smoky air.
Olympia, mixed media, 30x40 in.
|
|
Forest Series, acrylic, 24x30 in.
|
June 2020 Update: During our COVID-19 spring Katharine painted near her home and other plein-air locations. Photos below.
Beacon Hill Park, Garry Oak on a rainy day.
|
The Pond at Government House, oil, 16 x 20, 2020
|
Painting plein-air at Brentwood Bay
|
Summer Garden, acrylic on canvas, 30x40 inches, 2020.
|
The Foot of Wildwood Avenue, mixed media, 24x36 in, 2020
|
June 2020: National Arts Drive.
“It was a lot of fun,” she recalls, “I safe-distanced behind my artwork on the front lawn and did a painting demonstration.”
|
Gonzales Beach, acrylic, 24x16 in, 2020
|
Katharine showed with the Zebra Art Collective at the Chapel Gallery in Nov/Dec 2019.
View preview and photos here: Zebra at Chapel Gallery
View preview and photos here: Zebra at Chapel Gallery
|
|
Katharine Geddes Studio Visit was completed in May of 2019. Zebra looks forward to resuming after COVID-19.
Each Wednesday evening Katharine Geddes paints with several members of the Zebra Arts Collective. Their well-lit studio is spacious and practical: it has long tables for working and a concrete floor. Easels are placed around the room and plastic totes overflow with paint tubes. A jovial atmosphere prevails at the studio group. Each artist is hard at work, but there is time for fun. Laughter, encouragement and ideas flow freely around the room. Mutual admiration comes easily to this dedicated group of artists.
Katharine Geddes finds Wednesdays are a welcome mid-week break. Painting offers her a way to relax and recharge her batteries. Ten years ago she began taking evening and weekend classes. Since that time, her skills have multiplied and her paintings vibrate with life and energy. Her classes began at the Victoria College of Art (VCA) which has many gifted instructors. Geddes studied acrylic painting with Carol Thompson. Paul Peregal taught Art History. Each week, Peregal gave a one hour lecture on a famous artist. Their homework was to copy an original painting by the featured artist. Along with historical perspectives, Geddes learned a variety of painting techniques. “The course work was intensive,” she recalls, “I was painting at least 15 hours a week.”
Birch and Maple Forest, acrylic on canvas, 24x30 in, 2018.
|
Civilization Series #5, acrylic on canvas, 30x24 in, 2018.
|
Geddes completed her foundation courses at VCA five years ago. Since that time, she has studied with local artist and instructor Michelle Miller. Geddes learned how to create abstract acrylics with Miller’s guidance. “Instead of copying the work of others,” Geddes says, “the artwork now emerges from my own thoughts and feelings.” Miller shared helpful techniques for getting started on an empty canvas. Once underway, a painting takes shape and form, coming alive with possibilities. To make every brushstroke meaningful, Geddes focuses on her thought processes while working.
Last summer, Geddes took a Metchosin International Summer School Arts (MISSA) workshop from Michelle Miller. From this course came her Civilization series. Surrounded by the beauty of Pedder Bay and forested grounds, the new series of abstractions glowed with soft verdant greens and dusty ochres. “Then the black lines began to appear, and I wondered why?” These darker lines formed cells, containers or walls, suggesting the fractured nature of our present day “civilization”. Not so civilized at times. To counter the effects of negativity and news, the artist encourages people to meet and mingle face to face, foregoing social media for more personal connections. She hopes that viewers will be soothed by the serenity of her paintings.
Birch Tree Forest #1, acrylic on canvas, 22x30 in, 2019.
|
Birch Trees in Winter, acrylic on canvas, 24x30 in, 2019.
|
In December 2018, Geddes spent time at a ski cabin in southwest Alberta. Could she manage a plein air session in minus 10 degree weather? Would her painting capture the frosty ambience of a wintery forest? Geddes set out on cross country skis with her painting kit and tripod. She placed her stool on the snow and sat down. It sank two feet into the snow before hitting frozen ground. Geddes picked herself up and got to work, but within 30 minutes the paint had ice crystals. She packed up and went home. The next day, the determined artist tried again. She brought hot water in her thermos to mix with the paints and left her stool at home. In a sunny clearing she painted successfully for two hours, before returning to the cabin. From this plein air painting sketch came Birch Trees in Winter, painted inside her studio in January 2019.
Civilization Series #6, acrylic on canvas, 30x24 in, 2018.
|
Sea Storm (Green & Blue) acrylic on canvas, 30x24 in, 2019.
|
Michelle Miller describes Katharine Geddes as an enthusiastic student who quickly mastered painting skills. It often takes years for an artist to understand the materials and find their voice, explains Miller. But Katharine forged ahead, fuelled by her energetic approach to learning and natural talents. At times, Miller sees the mysterious “ingredient x” in her student’s artwork, the perfect balance of beauty and imperfection that makes a successful composition. And she sighs.
Red Forest, acrylic on canvas, 24x36 in. 2019
|
Birch and Maple Forest #2, acrylic on canvas, 24x30 in, 2018.
|
The artist’s first MISSA experience was plein air abstract painting with Maria Josenhans. The instructor encouraged her students to match the colours they saw in nature without reference to objects. Since the course, Geddes works on colour mixing and copying nature. “How could the colours you see in nature be wrong?” This year, Geddes returns to MISSA to take plein air realism with Jeremy Herndl. She took a realism course from Herndl and found it quite challenging. “Growing as an artist requires moving out of your comfort zone,” she says. Geddes hopes this course will give her ideas for a new series. Look for her latest creations at the Fairfield Artists Studio Tour next summer.
Step One: Under-painting for My Life’s Journey.
|
Step Two: My LIfe’s Journey in progress.
|
An inquisitive student, Geddes also took classes with abstract artist Bill Porteous. From Porteous she learned that a successful abstraction requires a strong foundation and structure. “Porteous taught me that meaningful work includes control over creativity,” she says.
Step One: The under-painting for My Life’s Journey has diagonal pathways with symbols and markers. These remind the artist of key points along her journey, which starts at the bottom left of the canvas.
Step Two: The mixed-media canvas already has many layers. Geddes works the paint by scraping with a palette knife or rubbing with a cloth. “You only have 5-10 minutes to work before the paint dries,” she says. She uses light and dark shifts to create visual drama. Oil based grease pencils are used for mark-making. In some places, the palette is an earthy mixture of raw sienna and payne’s gray. In others, warm tones of orange, red and pink flow along the horizontal planes
Step Three: The painting is now completed. Washes of gray mixed from the existing palette have softened the tonal values in several places. In others, the artist reveals dashes of red and yellow grease pencil by scraping through the acrylic. The layered effect suggests sedimentary rock formations.
Step One: The under-painting for My Life’s Journey has diagonal pathways with symbols and markers. These remind the artist of key points along her journey, which starts at the bottom left of the canvas.
Step Two: The mixed-media canvas already has many layers. Geddes works the paint by scraping with a palette knife or rubbing with a cloth. “You only have 5-10 minutes to work before the paint dries,” she says. She uses light and dark shifts to create visual drama. Oil based grease pencils are used for mark-making. In some places, the palette is an earthy mixture of raw sienna and payne’s gray. In others, warm tones of orange, red and pink flow along the horizontal planes
Step Three: The painting is now completed. Washes of gray mixed from the existing palette have softened the tonal values in several places. In others, the artist reveals dashes of red and yellow grease pencil by scraping through the acrylic. The layered effect suggests sedimentary rock formations.
Katharine Geddes welcomes your interest and can be reached at [email protected]
|
Step Three: My Life’s Journey acrylic on canvas, 24x30 in, 2019.
|
|
Web Design, Content and Photo of the artist by Kate Cino arts writer published in Focus, Yam and Boulevard. History in Art degree & Public Relations certificate from the University of Victoria This website and its content is copyright of Art Openings, 2009. All rights reserved. Written permission is required for reproduction of photos or text. [email protected] 250 598-4009 |