KATHRYN DEMARCO - ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Around Town
New Collages by Kathryn DeMarco
My latest set of collages feature animals, domestic and wild, in natural settings. I spend a lot of time at Duke Gardens and have observed the ducks and herons that are frequently swimming or hunting around the ponds. I see cats, dogs and bunnies in the gardens as well. The personalities of many of these animals have become familiar to me. And their beauty is magnificent. The composition of the birds’ feathers reminds me of the layers that are present in my collage work. I am using paper and glue to create landscapes and animal portraits and self portraits in collage. I add surprising images and words to make each piece more intriguing.
I have also included a series of personal self portraits. These portraits illustrate my strengths and loves in the face of the challenge of Type 1 Diabetes. These self portraits will be a catalyst for creating portraits of other people facing similar challenges with chronic disease.
I am honored to receive collections of art and design magazines from many friends. These magazines give me lots of textures, images and words to integrate into the collages. I deconstruct these magazines in order to create my own art! Thank you to Doug Zinn, Frank Konhaus, Ellen Cassily and Roberta Wallace.
ABOUT KATHRYN DEMARCO
Kathryn graduated from Boston University with a BFA in painting 1992 and has continued to pursue a painting career while working full time at House of Frames/Craven Allen Gallery. Her work is shown at many venues throughout the Triangle and is featured in many collections in the Triangle, Connecticut, San Francisco and Pennsylvania.
COLLAGE:
The cut and paste technique is a process that I started experimenting with in college. I have worked to perfect and enjoy this method ever since. The process of choosing colors and textures and then applying them to a detailed drawing slows me down and allows me to think about the composition.
I use 100% acid free rag paper and acrylic gel medium. All papers used in the collage are as stable as possible. The paintings are finished with a UV Protecting Self Leveling Gel.
Also in the news: Craven Allen Gallery Artist, Kathryn DeMarco
