Cathy Read
Buildings reflect the dreams of the people who create them. By adopting an abstract style, I capture that dreamlike quality. The masking fluid creates a linear structure which holds together the fluid and energetic paint and ink shapes. The ink, especially, allows mini explosions of colour which evolve during the drying process.
With these paintings I look for perspectives that convey the scale of the buildings. That sense of Awe at their sheer size. By experimenting with angles, foreshortening and shapes, I seek the essence of the vision behind their creation and that childhood sense of looming where the building feels like it will topple on you. I look for contrasts where they occur: such as new creations, with clean shapes and lines, alongside old decaying ones, or how, in older buildings, the geometry is softened by nature over time.
Mankind likes to make its mark, especially with public developments. People living and working in the spaces further modify the environment. The buildings are occupied and altered from subtle wear and tear to major remodelling.
I look at this architecture, see the shapes and use the photographic image to make out patterns of construction, flaws, wear and tear, Making features of the mundane and ordinary.
Once I've created a detailed drawing I cover it with masking fluid. This provides structure over which a free flowing painting is created. The painting represents the moving life within the building. Paint spills outside the edges in tendrils, like the energy of life spills out from the architecture itself.. Once the masking is removed, something new and exciting is revealed.
Cathy Read - Selected shows
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Untitled Solo at Cripps Pemberton Greenish in Tunbridge Wells- curated by June Frickleton - 2019-2020
Cathy Read's 4950 Exhibition – Chantry Chapel, Buckingham 2019
Take a Trip to Marylebone – Claydon Courtyard, Claydon Estate, Bucks - 2018
London Calling – Henley Business School - 2017
The Modern Face of Oxford – Oxford – April 2014
99% London – Woodstock Nov/Dec 2013
A Tale of 2 Cities – Buckingham Nov 2013- Jan 2014
MK Project – Milton Keynes – Nov -March 2014
The Milton Keynes Project – Project Space, Milton Keynes – June/July 2012
Contemporary City – Linacre College, Oxford. 18th October-27th November 2011
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 Kents Hill Sept-November
2018 DMH Stallard 2 man show. DMH Stallard London
Sense of Place – Claydon Gallery
2017
Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Open – Mall Galleries
Artist of the Year 2017- Artists and Illustrators – Mall Galleries
2013 - 2019 Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibitions – Mall Galleries London, UK
2014 Royal Watercolour Society Contemporary Open – Bankside Gallery,
Perspectives on an English Landscape (5 artists) - Banbury
2012 Manchester in Art – Manchester- 2012 -Jan
Salon des Artistes Mouvallois - Mouvaux, France - May
2011 From Morning 'till night - Tate Modern, Artist Participant in Performance Piece – Sept
Easter Exhibition - Stowe House, Buckinghamshire – April
PUBLIC and CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
Bahlsen LLC
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford - Oxford University Press
Royal Latin School
Publications and Media
Television
2018 – Three Counties Radio – live interview
2016 – Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year – Heat 1
2017 – Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year – Heat 6
Online
2020 – Pod cast interview on Painting Meditations with Alyson Stanfield for Art Biz Success.
Published Articles and books.
Cathy Read (author and artist) – The Milton Keynes Project –published Impremedia 2014
“Oxford Almanach 2016” - The Ashmolean Ed 71 – 2016
Sarah Millington – Urban Twist – Buckinghamshire Living and Oxford Limited Edition Magazine April 2019
Esther Lafferty – Architecture and Aquatints – Ox magazine 2017
Online Interviews /features
Empty Easel Casie Reif 2016
Making a Mark Kathryn Tyrrell Review of 2015 SWA Exhibition 2015
Artsy Shark 28th Jan 2012
GRANTS, RESIDENCIES, AND HONOURS
Wild and Tame Award – Artist of the Year 2017 – Artists and Illustrators Magazine
Shortlisted for Artist of the Year 2017 – Artists and Illustrators Magazine
Best Interpretation of a Theme - Buckingham Art For All People's vote 2015
Barbara Tate Memorial Award – Society of Women Artists – 2015
Artist Residency – Fringe MK Westbury - Sept – November 2012
Artist Residency – Fringe MK Westbury - Nov 2011- Jan 2012
RELATED ACTIVITIES
Society of Women Artists – elected Associate member 2014 and full member 2015
Buckinghamshire Art Society (former member and Publicity officer2016-2018)
Visual Images Group - Aylesbury. Local coordinator for Bucks Open Studios 2014-
Buckingham Art For All – Publicity Officer 2010-2012