Catherine Fraser  Artist Bio

My Creative Process
My creative process and experience of art is woven with diverse experiences and a holistic viewpoint. . In all aspects of my work as an artist, as an art therapist and as a nurse I weave aspects of creativity.
I am interested in creativity and different ways of knowing (aesthetic and personal) Subject matter, materials and themes vary. Cycles of nature, birth, life, death and rebirth interest me as well as spiritual matters.

Art and Image Making
Painting.
Images are depicted using a variety of mediums: watercolors, acrylics, pastels, and mixed media paintings on paper or canvas. Images are representational and abstract, painted in the outdoors and in the studio. Some images are directly painted and others are done by creating under paintings and layering paint on the top and working into and lifting off paint. I like to work on one veil painting a year where I weave hundreds of layers of watercolor on paper and wait for images to appear. This is a meditative way to paint.

The themes in my work have varied over time. As a teenager I painted portraits, then landscapes, people within their environments, and becoming more abstract in representation. A continuous thread is painting nature and people.

I have painted professionally since 1983 and have had 24 one woman shows. I recently participated in the juried show “Painting on the Edge” 2005 (one of 44 entrants selected out of 900). I recently returned from Lexington Kentucky from the opening of a juried show “Connections We Are All One” an exhibition of art by the SLMM inspired by the relationship between art and spirituality.

My paintings are owned by RNABC (Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia) and British Columbia Western Forest Products and private collectors. I exhibit in 3 galleries and have 2 studio tours and or shows per year of my work. I am an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and a full member of the Society of Layerists in Multi media. (SLMM)

My focus over the last two years has been on plein air painting, writing and giving talks on art, creativity and healing. Recent publications include:” The Heart of Nursing” 2005, Cover Art, “Meeting Sacred Illness” 2005 and Pre and Prenatal Psychology and Health Journal, Fall Issue, 2006.

My intentions as an artist are to continue to grow, learn and explore using different materials and understandings. In conclusion, I was recently influenced and touched by seeing paintings in the Rothko Chapel in Houston. I experienced the heartbeat of his paintings. I hope you enjoy the imagery and can feel the heartbeat of the paintings.

Catherine Fraser Art Resume

  I divide my time between 3 careers:  art, art therapy, and nursing.

Experience

· Painted professionally since 1983 with 21 one woman shows and acceptance and awards in many juried shows
·  Paintings owned worldwide by by private, corporate and public collectors in Canada, Japan, United States, Europe and South America, including the Registered Nurses Assoc of BC, and BC Western Forest Products.
·  Art therapy private work since 1989
·  Teach childbirth education classes, art classes and art therapy workshops.
· active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists since 1983
· full member of the Society of Layerists in Multimedia since 2004

Education

· art courses, Continuing Education, University of Victoria
· studied with Ustinov, McDonald and others through the Federation of Canadian Artists
·     Diploma Art Therapy, (2 year graduate program ),British Columbia School of Art Therapy, Victoria, B.C.1989
·     IBP(Integrated Body Psychotherapy) Certificate: The Pacific Western Institute, Duncan, 1998
·     Intermediate Therapeutic Touch, Orcas Island,  Wa ,1995
·     Toastmaster International ATM Bronze  2000-2003
·     Highschool art scholarships and credit courses at the University of Victoria and UBC.

Selected Shows

· Connections: We Are All One, Kentucky 2006
· Cowichan Theatre Gallery Show, (55 paintings), Duncan, BC   2006
· Painting On The Edge Show, Vancouver BC 2005
· Studio Tours annually
· Visions Studio Tour, annually
· Plein Air Painting Show, 2002-2006: Qualicum(2nd Prize 2002), Sidney,       Nanaimo (1st Prize 2002), Victoria     
· One-woman show, Prince George Art Gallery 1989
· NW Watercolor Show, Seattle 1987
 
 Galleries

· Two Rivers Gallery, Prince George
· The Gallery, Oak Bay, BC
· Station Street Gallery, Duncan
· Catherine Fraser Studio, Cowichan Bay, BC

Interests

 ·     Travelling and painting and giving talks.
Nature, photography, painting, clay sculpture, people ,  tango dancing, plein air painting, a dog called Sassy and my family.