Life-Lines/Laugh-Lines: Catherine Gutsche
November 8–December 1
Catherine Gutsche is an Ottawa-based abstract artist with paintings held in private collections across Canada, the United States, and Europe. She studied Fine Art at York University in Toronto, where she earned an Honours Bachelor of Fine Art in Graphic Design.
After relocating to Ottawa to work as a webmaster and graphic designer for a large multinational company, Catherine eventually returned to her passion for painting, embracing a deep connection with colour, texture, and pattern. Now retired after 18 years in the corporate world, she devotes herself to painting full-time. Catherine describes herself as a process painter. She draws inspiration from her surroundings, captivated by nature's transient qualities, its processes, and the emotions they evoke. She finds beauty in the way nature presents itself, complete with imperfections, often inspired by natural elements such as lichens, weathered bricks, or rusting metals. Her creative process is centered on an intuitive journey with paint, using colour and texture to build layers that she reveals through techniques like scratching back, rubbing away, or lifting. This method allows the history of previous layers to resurface.
Rather than replicating nature, Catherine is inspired by its improvisation, welcoming its influence in her work. She hopes that viewers of her paintings will join her in the adventure of getting lost in both nature and her creative process.
Please join us for the opening reception of “Life-Lines/Laugh-Lines” on November 9 from 1–4 pm. All are welcome!
“Lines and marks are a symbolic visual language, unique to each of us, like handwriting, eye colour, and fingerprints. They are life-lines as individual as facial wrinkles and laugh lines. When I create these gestural drawings, I am drawing loosely using automatic movements right from my shoulder, free-flowing uninhibited symbols, ‘live and direct’ from the subconscious. I involve my whole body, giving each drawing an unrestrained quality. Unless I am changing my medium, I keep my hand on the paper and in motion. These drawings incorporate layers of emotion reflecting a continuum of moods, thoughts, and feelings. They tell different stories to different viewers.
Spin-offs aren’t just reserved for television; in the realm of art, a single series can birth a new creative journey. In my exploration of “Life-lines/Laugh-lines,” delving into the symbolic visual elements of handwriting, eye colour, and fingerprints, I found myself particularly drawn to the concept of lines. This fascination led me to ponder how these lines could manifest in three-dimensional form. Beginning with a mixed media ‘line,’ I elevated it from the confines of a flat surface, transforming it into a dynamic element that invites exploration from multiple angles. Eventually I began to see the similarities in natural forms as I saw snow on the trees outside my studio in winter, the tangles of roots of the weeds I removed from my garden in summer and the wild invasive grape vines I continue to battle as they weave their way through the forest near my home. Each is unique, each has its own personality.”
Available Work
