Cath Williams
About Me
Having grown up in New Zealand, I left for Melbourne, Australia in my mid 20s to be away for 27 years. I returned home with an awareness of the harsh degradation of the country I left compared with the more subtle impacts on the country of green, soft light and moisture, to which I returned.
Building on a body of work spanning 40 years I am driven by the impact of climate change in both Australia and New Zealand. I use oil on canvas and more recently oil and cold wax on board to create textures that capture the contrasts of chaotic undergrowth, ocean horizons, through to distant mountains.
These mediums and the use of canvas and board enables me to explore the contrast and texture to illustrate a broad range of landscapes and environments. As a self taught artist I have developed use of a spontaneous application of paint and mediums with my fingers, spatulas, rollers and material. I endeavour to relay the variations of colour, light and depth to build the layers found in all landscapes.
My intention is to illustrate our connectedness to the world we live in and our responsibility for the impact we have on resource depletion, consumerism and climate change. Australia is a country of extremes (of droughts and floods) while New Zealand appears to provide the counterpoint of a country of lush beauty.
The ever present threat of fire, coastal erosion and the loss of vegetation affects both my “homes”. There is a surprising degree of commonality in my landscapes, many of which are indistinguishable in regards to their origin, in a fragile world.
My reflections on how we interact with our environments has shaped both my politics and my art. I am privileged to have been exposed to a variety of locations and environments which continue to add new dimensions which weave themselves into my body of work.
Quinch Art is a small gallery in Melbourne. It was opened in 2010 and closed in 2013. Quinch worked with 18 wonderful local artists providing a range of diverse media including: photography, sculpture, jewellery, pottery, glass, fabric and paintings. Quinch continues virtually until we return to our other home.
