Chichester artist Catherine Barnes exhibits for sixth time at the Oxmarket

“This New Year I am showing paintings, large and small, on canvas and paper with some drawings and prints. The subjects are varied, but have a theme of nature. This is treated in different ways. An oil painting inspired by the River Lavant in the College grounds, where light is the underlying subject which sets the mood. A major or minor key? Stay awhile and ponder what scene is set; what emotions are provoked?”

Catherine cites Edgar Degas who said c1857: “The artist does not draw what he sees, but what he must make others see.”

Catherine explains: “I tend to agree with Degas here. Painting a bit of the neglected River Lavant is not really the hot issue. I hope the way I have painted it opens feelings in the viewer.

“Most of my work on show at the Oxmarket started from a small sketch book and a pen for five to ten minutes, at the most, lolling about the place just looking. Back in my studio I may start on the composition. Does it have any harmony? – usually not! But fragments may. Once drawn out, it usually bears little resemblance to the actual. Light and colour, and the way the paint is used on the canvas starts to reveal hopefully a subject lurking underneath. A couple of months later – after the hair tearing, miseries, aching limbs, tears and self- doubt – the painting just seems to paint itself.”

Catherine’s exhibition runs from January 9-21. The gallery is open from 10am until 4.30pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays, and 12-4pm on Sunday. Closed on Monday, January 15. The gallery is in St Andrews Court, off East Street, Chichester, PO19 1YH, Catherine will be in the Wilson Room of the Oxmarket Gallery from 1-3pm each day of her exhibition.

Catherine studied painting at Folkestone School of Art and Camberwell School of Art under Anthony Eyton and Euan Uglow and later studied history of art at Goldsmiths' College. Her first job after Camberwell was as a prep room assistant at Kelpra Studio. Some of her work for Richard Hamilton on his Duchamp series is in the Pallant House Gallery collection, along with her work for Joe Tilson, Cragie Aitchison, Bridget Riley and Patrick Caulfield. In 1984 she moved to Winchester where she established Juno Studio and was appointed a visiting lecturer in art history at University of Southampton and a visiting artist and lecturer at Southampton City Art Gallery. In 2001 she was selected to exhibit at the first London Art Fair’s Fresh Art in Islington and again in 2003. She exhibited in Paris 2002 in Europ’Art and had two solo exhibitions in 2004; in Twickenham at Karen Taylor Contemporary Art and in London’s East End at Gallery@oneOtwo. Two more solo exhibitions followed in Mayfair’s Zizi Gallery in 2005 and 2006 with Cork and Rotterdam Art Fairs in 2005. In 2006 she moved to a new studio in Chichester whilst continuing to be a visiting artist at Southampton City Art Gallery. She participated in art fairs in Antwerp October 2007 and Dublin and London in 2008. In 2009 she held two successful solo exhibitions at The Joy Gallery in Chichester.