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, whether I’m “chasing the light” painting outside en plein air, or chasing a stitch through improvised quilting. 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 an interdisciplinary 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.
© Katharine Joy Houpt