ARTIST STATEMENT

“The expression of beauty in image and word is my primary source of inspiration. Over the past fifteen years, I have created a body of work that follows the themes of beauty, intimacy, and illumination.

Beauty I love nature and I love old things. Each landscape that I photograph and each piece of old sheet music or ancient poem I find, seems to have a story that yearns to be told. Whenever I can, I create art that evokes memory and brings the beauty of the past forward in time.

Intimacy I love to celebrate the essence of life. Whether I am focusing on the detail of a leaf or the curve of a river, I intuitively accentuate the color and form to express its core. My intention is to draw the viewer into an intimate relationship with the art and instill a sense of serenity.

Illumination I love light. I am fascinated with illumination in both the natural and artistic world. I  turn my etchings into lanterns in order to give
sculptural shape to the images and to play with the variations of light. Each lantern is a one-of-a-kind piece intended to create beauty and harmony in the home.

The intention of each of my art pieces whether they be in the form of etchings, photography, or artist books, is to create beauty and serenity.”


BIOGRAPHY

Cathy DeForest is a book artist inspired by found objects and nature. She works in a broad range of media integrating etchings, letterpress printing and photography on surfaces as diverse as paper and silk. Her gallery in Ashland, Oregon features artist books and printmaking of international and Northwest artists. She enjoys using the age old presses and techniques of printmaking, like the artists who began this work in the fifteenth century. Her artist books integrate each of her forms of art including original poetry. Cathy’s work is part of several collections including:

The Honourable Thabo Mbeki, 
President of the Republic of South Africa
The Florean Museum of Romania
The California Palace Legion of Honor
The Oakland Museum
Yale University
University of California Santa Barbara
The San Francisco Public Library

Cathy has a Ph.D. in Organization Development. She worked in this field for 14 years with large corporations and several universities. Her  art work is exhibited and sold internationally. Cathy has been teaching and mentoring students since 1969. After 26 years in the San Francisco Bay area and founding a gallery in Lafayette California, Cathy moved to Ashland, Oregon to found Gallery DeForest. The intention of her work is to evoke meaning through color and form, connecting the viewer with a sense of truth and beauty.







 
 




             

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