Catharine Somerville
About the work in Transept:Traverse
Under the light of the moon that resembles the nakedness of ancient words,
listen to this rhythm, this rolling of the waters,
night is moving its dark wheels, these words are its meaning,
and i let myself be carried by what I want to say: what I ignore
and this is how the word ponders its silence.
Xavier VillairutiaMy current work delves into themes of transformation through the processes of layering. Layers of paint build up and then are scraped back to describe the histories and erosions of a human condition. This process describes my existence, my memory and my angst of losing existential certainties. Built into this is the fabrication and journal of my colours. Colour for me provides an expressive medium with which to discover psychic and emotional values. It is my belief that vital and active forces exist within a dynamic state of volatility and chaos. The hominess viatores travel towards death but then mutate to something beyond.
Biography
Catharine Somerville was born in Toronto, Canada. She studied Fine Art at York University and Georgian College as a printmaker. Her print work “Iceberg” was awarded “The Gryphon Theatre Company” prize in 1972. After working as a set designer, painter and teacher in Canada, Catharine moved to England and set up an artist based teaching atelier in 1992 called Herringbroom Studio in Sussex, England.
A natural colourist, Catharine has spent her life exploring approaches to paint with an emphasis toward her reactions to different colour qualities that radiate from different seasons and different places around the world. Whilst living in the Caribbean she painted a series based upon the tropics and seduction. This early work led to the culmination of her recent painting “Mosquito Coast” which was awarded the Chairman’s Prize at West Dean College 2007.
During 2008 under support of the Edward James Foundation she has lived and painted for five weeks in the jungle amongst the magical Las Posas created by Edward James in Xilitla, Mexico
Currently, she continues to investigate the mutations of her fantasies and memories. As such the hominess victores travel toward death but then mutate to something else.
