ARTIST STATEMENT
My interdisciplinary practice links peace, diversity, ecology, and animals. The Peace Embraces Diversity dove sculpture represents my response to my homophobic mother, while the Prey and/or Predator tapestry and My Friends shadowbox are a homage to diverse animals. I grew up in a rural area, helped my family with our garden and our poultry, and was a beekeeper as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, Central America. I also repurpose materials because I hoard and improvise, like my late mother, a refugee from Hungary. As my practice has evolved, I have become more attuned to nature, so I use natural dyes and pigments and try to avoid waste and pollution. Much to the chagrin of my meat-obsessed mother, I’ve been a vegetarian for eight years and a vegan for one year because of my affinity for animals.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Kathy was in art residencies in NY, NC, NE, CO, & Spain; she completed a national park residency in 2023 and will participate in the Vermont Studio residency in 2024. She’s exhibited in juried shows and has had pop-up installations in museums and three solo shows. She’s won juried art awards and art fellowships and has published in national journals and Glasstire. She’s a UTRGV Professor Emerita, PhD, and MFA.
© Kathy Marie Bussert-Webb