With richly coloured images, free forms turned into structure, and an intent focus on plants we might otherwise just walk by, Catherine Macaulay’s modern flower painting contributes to the deep traditions of her chosen medium. Whether she is travelling to gather material or meditating on the Grasslands outside her home and studio window, Catherine’s great understanding of her chosen watercolours and a lifelong commitment to really seeing have led to a rich and extensive body of work.
Catherine Macaulay’s work draws from natural world experience; through images of growth, she explores shadows and light and intensity of colour. “My process has evolved as an interpretation of a close-up landscape that comes out of my experience in that landscape. I’ve always worked in watercolour, and love to find that sweet spot between being in control and letting the paint and paper take me to unexpected places.”
Catherine Macaulay has exhibited both nationally and internationally, and her meditative, intently focused watercolours are held in major private and public collections across Canada and overseas. Catherine lives on an acreage just outside Val Marie, Saskatchewan on the edge of Grasslands National Park.
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Catherine Macaulay was born in Swift Current, Saskatchewan and grew up on a farm northwest of that city. After obtaining a B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan and a Library Science degree from the University of Alberta, she worked in public library systems in Nova Scotia and in Saskatchewan for a dozen years. It was while working for the Regina Public Library that she began taking evening art classes offered by University of Regina Extension. Those experiences, as well as an intensive two-week studio program at the Summer School of the Arts, solidified her desire to explore art making more deeply. Catherine moved back to Saskatoon and obtained an Honours degree in Studio Art and Art History. She maintained an active studio practice there before reclaiming her country roots.