Exhibitions & projects: music & literature

New Beginnings
New Beginnings
Children of the Earth
Children of the Earth

Music, poetry and performance provide inspiration for work in a variety of media, from figurative to abstract as the source dictates. Catherine aims where possible to present such work alongside the art form which inspired it.

Hexham Abbey Residency Jan-July 2005
During this residency period at Hexham Abbey, Northumberland, Catherine drew inspiration from poetry, prose, music and the rich tradition and architecture of the mediaeval Abbey. The residency culminated in an exhibition "Where there is Darkness…..Light" on the theme of Hope, and included mixed arts events with poet Jan Sutch Pickard and Duo Virtutes wind and harp duo, as well as Art workshops for groups from local first and special schools.

Orchestral Music projects
Since 2005 Catherine has worked on projects inspired by orchestral music by Northumbrian composers Derek Hobbs, Lizelle Kirby and John Hawkes, and by observing local musicians in rehearsal.

The work has resulted in exhibitions at Morpeth Methodist Church "Music of History" in July 2006 and at Alnwick Playhouse "Paintings from Music" in February 2007. Concerts with associated music were given by the Cobweb Orchestra and the Northumbria Sinfonietta.

Folk Music and Dance
Projects include series of paintings inspired by Ugandan traditional music and dance, waltz and other dance music and Northumbrian folk musicians and dancers.

Artist in Residence: Morpeth Gathering 2007 and 2008
The annual Morpeth Gathering of traditional music and dance was recorded by gathering images and impressions from the sights and sounds of the Gathering to translate into paintings.

Over two years, the residency included "Gathering Images" art exhibitions in each year, and series of combined art and storytelling workshops for all ages with storyteller/musician Zedayne.