Oil Painting

Cathryn Sofarnos

Embracing the mystery of the abstract world , Cathryn’s paintings radiate beauty, joy, and a playful spirit creating a vivid, evocative and thought provoking experience on a large scale.

Artist Profile

Cathryn embraces the inherent mystery of the abstract world and finds liberation in the absence of definitive answers, allowing for a journey of exploration and discovery that transcends the limitations of conventional thought. In this realm, ambiguity becomes a source of inspiration, sparking the imagination and beckoning the viewer to contemplate the boundless mysteries of existence. Her intention is for her paintings to illuminate its space, infusing it with a vibrant energy that will engage its viewers and give rise to intelligent conversation and inquiry. The luminosity and lusciousness of the coloured layers creates a dance on the canvas that lifts the spirits and heightens the senses, while simultaneously imbues a feeling of harmony and serene ambience. The glistening shimmer induced by the dynamic interplay between line and colour create movement that breathes life into the surrounding space. The depth of layers in the work reveal hidden moments to the viewer, perhaps even within themselves, providing a point of focus and observation to a room. Her dynamic expression of line and colour, sets the intention to captivate a radiant beauty, joy and playful spirit that creates a vivid and evocative experience on a large scale.

Artist Interview

What medium do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

I work with oil on canvas mostly. I started out mostly with drawing but moved to painting in 2006. I found painting to be more difficult but much more rewarding.

How does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

I usually start with a message I would like to portray, then think about the ways I can portray it with mark making, colours and compositions. I make a series of sketches in a visual diary. The next step is to recreate the ideas with photography which I use as reference images. From there I create final compositions which then translates to a canvas. I choose the canvas size depending on the message I’m trying to portray. nSmaller canvases for more intimate and personal works, large canvases are chosen for a more overwhelming message. The colour scheme is usually chosen as the last step when I’m firm on the final message I wish to convey.

Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?