Portal 2, Hawaii Island Juried Art Competition

Rosebud Sioux Tribe member, Cathy’s love of the natural world began in South Dakota and then on Kodiak Island, Alaska in 1965, she became fascinated with the native plants and animals. When she retired in 2016 she moved to Honoka’a on Hawaii Island and continues painting images of the world that surrounds her.

Mostly self-taught, she has taken a few basic art classes and workshops.

She paints using oils and acrylics on canvases, wood panels and found objects. Her painting process begins with a digital camera that serves as a sketchbook. She shoots many views in order to capture the nuances of each subject. Before she begins painting, she pours over the images teasing out the details that are are unique to each figure.

It is the balance of shape, the play of light and shadow, and the emotional stimuli of the color that inspire her.