Kathryn Amisson uses a colorful palette to portray everything from the coast to the prairie and all the beauty in between. The impressionistic results speak of her understanding of the essence of the Canadian scene.
Born in Glenboro, Manitoba then raised from age 6 on British Columbia's west coast her love of the Canadian landscape took root early. She has spent over 40 years honing her skills as she interprets the many elements that make our country a favourite destination. Working in acrylic her art has evolved and continues to do so with each passing year.
“I care more about what emotions are stimulated when one views my paintings than the details of what one sees. It is about the light, the movement, the drama or the serenity that each piece exudes. I love colour and the power it has to lift the spirit and evoke a joyous atmosphere.”
Spending many years replicating the scenes in front of her, Kathryn now takes pride in working more with shape, colour and texture and thus providing the viewer with their own chance to interpret what they are seeing.
Kathryn has been a great supporter of many charities over the span of her career; The David Foster Foundation, Crimestoppers and Big Brothers and Big Sisters to name a few. She worked tirelessly on several of the CNIB Eye Appeal events since its' beginning in 1998 and was Honorary Chair of the event in 2005 and 2017.
Kathryn has held numerous solo shows and participated in many group exhibitions in galleries in British Columbia and Alberta since 1979. Her work can be found in collections nationally and internationally.
My new painting direction is all about the elements of nature. To the human eye the sky appears smooth like blended soft pastel. The mountains, hills, trees and fields are filled with texture and dimension. Water can be like glass or shimmer like a beautiful sequinned dress. My focus in these images is to look at nature's layers. The sky, land and or water.
My approach is to start with drywall compound mixed with acrylic. In some areas add stucco patch and in other areas apply tissue paper. Using a palette knife I somewhat randomly spread this combination in the mid area of the canvas but it is a delicate dance because if there is too much added the painting will lose the intended dynamic. At this point I let it dry overnight spending some of this time pondering the result to decide what the mixture, now on the canvas, is telling me to do with the piece.
The flat smooth area of the foreground is equally important to the overall impact. Although it may look like I haven't done much on this part there are three layers of paint applied on top of the two coats of gesso that are already on the canvas at purchase. The very flat minimalist look plays a key role in emphasizing the area of texture on the painting. This whole process is allowing me to express my creative side rather than just my skill of replicating what I see.
It is my intention and hope to take this less representational approach even further as my technique expands. When one has painted for over 46 years it is important for me to keep the joy of applying paint to canvas. What I want to be most proud of regarding my art is how far I continued to evolve. I feel there is more stretching to be done.