The Painter on Her Deathbed (Paula Modersohn-Becker) – oil, ink and charcoal on linen; 22 x 24 in.
Kate True
My current work is concerned with the edge between drawing and painting, and the crossroads and boundaries that mark human experience. The subject matter is an attempt to distill an emotional experience into its barest representation, including only the most meaningful details. I’m fascinated by the way our bodies and gestures can telegraph meaning so eloquently. Technically I’m interested in maintaining the sensual, graceful or forceful line of a drawing while also developing a lushly painted surface which creates space and volume. My most recent works are created with oil, ink and charcoal, with areas of raw linen functioning as a neutral ground. The figures are carefully drawn and painted with an expressive use of color, and situated in loosely painted or invented spaces, allowing experimentation with texture, color and light. In the content of my paintings I want to go beyond narrative portrayal to a more symbolic realm. The viewer is engaged by a suggested rather than delineated iconography. My hope is to create a bridge between drawing and painting, and to invest this space with the emotions inherent in our threshold experiences.
© Kate True