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About the Artist...
My goal in painting is to portray the beauty of the ordinary. I want the viewers
to see their surroundings from a different perspective. I want the viewers to feel the shapes as light
hits the form and describes it, to see colors they might not expect. Minnesota winters are a subject
that I enjoy painting because they are all about form and light and color. The shapes created by the
snow and wind catch the light and create shadows that contain surprising color and are abstract in
nature. To accomplish my goal, I try to focus on more intimate views of the landscape. Many of my
landscapes have a high horizon line, thus focusing our attention on the foreground and the details
we might pass over.
I like to find the abstract in the realistic, whether by using shadows or by focusing in closely on a
subject and cropping tightly. I am fascinated with how light falls on form, whether in the landscape
or on a still life. Cast shadows are interesting, as they depict form and I use them to describe the
shape of the landscape. Color and light are intertwined and affect how we see the landscape or a close-up
subject. Light changes over the course of a day and from season to season. I like to explore those
changes and use light to create a mood. Focusing on color, form and light and the relationships between
these ideas is all a part of what I try to do in each of my paintings.
My style might be described as “Impressionistic realism”. I try to capture the elements of the landscape
by using under-paintings to create texture and the sense of detail. I employ a number of techniques that
allow me to simulate the randomness of Nature but also maintain a sense of realism. Recently, I have been
exploring the pastel medium and working to combine it with watercolor under-paintings. This has given my
work a more painterly effect and one which I find very exciting. Another recent exploration has been a
series inspired by the farmer’s markets in the city. This has been interesting because of the vibrancy of
the color and the contrast of the shadows. However, the underlying concepts are the same as in my landscape
work: color, form and light.
Biographical Information
Catherine Hearding started her professional career in 1974. A self-taught artist with a B.A. degree in
zoology and botany from the University of Montana, she started showing in local art shows in the Twin Cities
area and created a line of stationery to market along with her paintings. She has shown her work in many
local juried art shows, as well as in juried shows across the country. She has had several one-person shows
in the area. She teaches in the Como Conservatory Botanical Arts Program and conducts workshops in the Twin
Cities area. Catherine is married to David Osten and they have two college-age children. She paints and sells
from her studio in Lake Elmo.
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