Description
ARTIST STATEMENT
I have two tables in my art studio. One is covered in vintage magazines, discarded picture books, a watercolor palette, markers, and pens. The other holds my Juki sewing machine, threads, and fibers. I move back and forth, allowing one medium to influence the next. The processes inform the images. When I work in collage, found imagery starts a conversation that might be answered with watercolor or embroidery. When I quilt, I work improvisationally, collaging with fabric through appliqué. My art is an exercise of being in the moment. In this way, I become aware of what I choose to see and what I have left out, either unconsciously or intentionally. The implications are personal, relational, and political. My work walks the line between comfort and discomfort, play and control. I aim for truth inherent in the balance.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Katharine Joy Houpt is a mixed media artist in Chicago working in fiber arts, collage, comics, and watercolor. She has a BA from the Evergreen State College and an MA in Art Therapy from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is also an art therapist in private practice and part-time faculty at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Katharine has shown her artwork in national and international exhibitions. Contact Katharine to arrange a studio visit at the Bridgeport Art Center.
© Katharine Joy Houpt