….is the title of this exhibition, a collaborative between artist Brooke Holve and myself. The works become a visual conversation born out of a shared experience of an art residency in Eastern Iceland. We stayed 1 month at Seydisfjordur, a small town facing the Norwegian Sea.
Showing ar Hammerfriar Gallery Healdsburg, California,
Feb 1st -April 30 2025
THE EDGE KNOWS
THE ROCK IS
Catherine: Working with Brooke is a constant source of inspiration. Her playful approach
to language, meticulous craftsmanship, and patience complement my own creative
process in unique and exciting ways.
Our collaboration is deeply rooted in shared experiences at artist residencies in
Seydisfjordur, Eastern Iceland on an edge of a fjord, facing the confluence of the North
Atlantic and Arctic Oceans; the other in Ballinskellig, southwest Ireland, on a windswept
peninsula jutting out on the edges of the Atlantic. During month-long residencies in each
location, we immersed ourselves in these wild, untamed environments, engaging with and
witnessing the powerful geological forces that shape the region.
Brooke: I met Catherine during a residency at Lucid Arts in Inverness, California. Although
we participated in the solo residency a year apart, we first encountered each other’s work
at a residency event. I was immediately drawn to her experimental approach, involving a
wide variety of materials and processes—frozen inks, erratic splashes, random
arrangements—a freedom that was captivating. She played with natural processes,
constantly asking “What if?” and embracing the uncertainty of where those questions
might lead. Her process resonated deeply with my own approach to making—one of
exploration and discovery into the unknown.
Our experiences at these residencies sparked many conversations throughout our
collaboration. Conversations between us, between our work and about the actively
changing landscapes around us. We observed and discussed the natural processes that
shape a region, the unfinished nature of landscapes, and our unique practices of making,
unmaking, remaking. Above all, we focused on process over immutable form. This
exhibition reflects the essence of these ongoing conversations.
We’re both fascinated by edges, rocks, and geology—though we’re not entirely sure why.
There’s something profoundly captivating about the earth’s ancient, primal forces. This
geological phenomena with all of its unexpected upheavals, serves as a gateway to a
deeper connection and engagement with the earth itself..
Catherine Richardson | Brooke Holve
