I'm intrigued by the human capacity to remain connected to sensory delight, belonging, and hope in the presence of grief and fear.
That intrigues me because I've lived it, and I'm still living it.
Immigration, chronic illness, disability, vision and hearing impairment, pregnancy loss, organ transplantation, and transracial adoption have all shaped my life deeply - bringing joys I'm profoundly grateful for, and layers of grief I've had to learn to carry.
These experiences are the ground my art grows from. They've taught me that our relationships - with each other, with nature, with ourselves - are always being formed and re-formed. Coming apart and being put back together again, in new ways, over and over again.
I'm inspired by the things in life that offer wonder, delight, and awe. The things that build our resilience to keep reaching toward beauty, even knowing it might not work out - and could all be lost.
Layers of colour, texture, and story
I make richly layered abstract landscapes in mixed media - paint, collage, and recycled materials. Each piece holds layers of colour, texture, and story, and is accompanied by a written narrative that collectors tell me often resonates with something they've been sitting with: a longing, something they needed to remember.
I love the idea that a painting can act as a portal - evoking the memory of a moment that felt expansive or grounding, and bringing that feeling back into your home and life.
I hope each artwork I create invites you to reconnect with your own senses: to notice more, feel more, and remember what lights you up.
Nature is both my creative muse and my sanctuary
Nature is where my work begins and where I go to be restored. In it I find the textures, colours, and shapes I borrow from - and the metaphors, wisdoms, and feelings of connectedness that layer my paintings with meaning.
Poetry is a companion in my creative process too, sharpening my attention and deepening my sensitivity to experience and language.
Together, nature and poetry help me articulate what the work seems to be reaching towards.
Art grounded in therapy
My art practice is inseparable from my first career as a grief support therapist. I hold a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Calgary, Canada, and until 2020 I worked in grief support, co-founded the Creative Grief Studio with Kara Jones, and authored two grief support workbooks.
That background shapes not just the themes I explore, but the very way I work - trusting that meaning emerges in its own time, and that the process of making is as significant as the finished piece.
Over the years I've developed as an artist through selected courses and mentorships, including programs through Newlyn School of Art (UK), The Peter Clarke Art Centre (South Africa), David Mankin (UK), Nicholas Wilton (USA), and Alice Sheridan (UK).
I am an active member of Galerie LKG De Ploegh - a Gallery and national artist’s associatoion in the Netherlands, and I've shown my work in exhibitions in South Africa, the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. My artworks live with private collectors in South Africa, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Italy, the UK, and all across the USA.
Originally from South Africa, I create - and ship - my art from my home studio in Utrecht, in the Netherlands.
You can view my full CV here.
You can hear me share more about my story in this conversation about navigating rare and chronic conditions with creativity and grace.
I've also written a little about how my visual impairment affects my art-making.
I'd love to help you choose art that resonates with your stories and hopes - something you'll love having in your life and home.
If you're in the Netherlands, you're welcome to visit me at my studio - just get in touch to make an appointment. And I'm very happy to hop on a video call with folks who live further afield.
WhatsApp: +31 6 27 97 73 66
Find me on Insta at @Cathd
