Exhibition curated by Sandra Higgins in Bath Somerset, England

A bursdt of colour and Spring season energy in this show March 6-April 5th 2025

The Edge Knows The Rock Is

….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

Studio Wall

Studio Wall

....why am I drawn to rocks/stone/geology?
I don't know exactly the answer only that I'm fascinated by geological phenomena.
I'm currently motivated to drive this series forward after watching a coastline washing away over a short period of time, dissolving the foundations to a group of homes and structures. At an artist residency in Iceland recently, I experiencing the haunting aftermath of a massive landslide that demolished  a segment of a small town. Being immersed in wild and remote places is a tonic for my art practice. It seems to be where insights are facilitated, sensitivities become acute to a human reality existing within so ancient a slow moving strata.

Perhaps geology serves as my portal to a sense of belonging. It becomes a metaphor for the anchored, solid and ancient—the essential antidotes for my feelings of displacement. So too does Erosion serve as a metaphor for the discarding and falling away of old ways, attitudes and beliefs.

I primarily work on large-scale paintings and drawings, where I can engage in gestural marks, but I keep my artwork sizes varied as in this series, (35x40x2” to 11x14x1”). I constantly explore and love the play and experimentation with materials, I allow concoctions of mediums to settle into textured surfaces, suggesting topographical and subterranean terrains; I use natural processes such as pooling liquid paint and left to evaporate. 
My work is a reflection of the mystery and beauty of the Earth's forces.
 Through art practice I expand awareness; a sense of wonder and respect for the ever-changing and powerful forces that shape our world. My hope is for the viewer to enjoy any visual journey that the work leads them through.

Any comments, questions welcome. Best, Catherine

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