The Artist
Cathy Read
is an artist who was born and grew up in Middleton. The need
to paint and draw has been with her since she could remember.
She was educated in Chorlton and Rusholme commuting across Manchester
to do so. Leaving home at 18 to study in Oxford.
Cathy moved
to north Buckinghamshire where she and her husband bought a
chapel and converted it into a home. She still lives there with
her husband and three children. After working as a Occupational
Therapist for 17 years she decided on a career change in 2008
and divides her time between her family and career as an Artist.
Cathy has
not forgotten her roots - with family, friends and other ties
in the region she returns regularly.
The decaying
mills of the Cotton industry dominated where she grew up and
have coloured her view of beauty. As has a fascination with
canals and industry. Cathy says:
"These
have influenced my more recent artwork. Working as a health
professional for so long meant I saw the darker side of life
and am keen to use art to highlight issues where I can. I
have also used Art as therapy and am keenly aware how Art
can ennoble, empower and generally lift spirits. An interest
in caricaturing and cartoons developed out of this. Although
my primary interest is Fine art".
Able to
produce work in many styles Cathy is currently concentrating
on mixed media abstracts. People in all their complexity intrigue
her. She enjoys creating art that emphasises texture coupled
with geometric forms. She uses these to illustrate aspects of
personality or particular emotive issues. Although the images
can sometimes be just a celebration of life and a consideration
of its transient nature. Her work is energetic and free with
an emphasis on movement and expression.
Cathy's
abstract style grew from experimentation with texture and a
fascination with how paint can be controlled by blowing air
across the liquid ink. The masked linear patterns provide structure
and allow a deeper exploration of the abstract concepts.
Cathy has
had work on display at several exhibitions in and around North
Buckinghamshire. Her current aim is a one woman exhibition in
a major gallery in a UK city - first choices Manchester or London.
She is a member of Buckingham Art for All (BAFA), the Society
for All Artists (SAA) and The Wheel in Banbury. She has been
involved in a number of community projects in Buckingham. She
was involved in the development of the Bafa Gallery Art Trail
in Buckingham.
Cathy's
work can be seen in Ginny Gray Gallery in Buckingham and at
the Chiltern Open Air Museum near Amersham, Buckinghamshire.
Her website
is at http://Cathyread.com
Facebook
at https://www.facebook.com/CathyReadArtPortfolio.
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/cat2rreadartist.
Her email:
Cathy@cathyreadart.com.
