Kathryn Schnabel
“I would rather paint
the spirit of a tree instead of a recognizable tree. I am interested in the essence of all four seasons not the color of the leaves”. |
The challenge of expressing a mystery, dream, or a memory has always been at the center of my artistic practice. I consider myself a process-oriented artist, responding intuitively to images that appear as the work develops. Silk painting, batik and mixed media offer me endless possibilities to explore or play in the realm of color and imagery. There’s usually an inspiration I’m following, and I can interact with the spirit of this idea as the work develops. The art has its own energy this way, and that ‘ungraspable’ concept ends up residing in the artwork.
My creative career began in advertising, where I developed an affinity for understanding what conceptual approach would work well for a client. I veered from that path after apprenticing with Hungarian artist John Boesze, learning the art form of hand-cut stained glass mosaics. My skills in idea development transferred well to commissioned glass mosaics, and I found myself creating artwork around themes such as ‘unity’, ‘the spiritual gifts of grief’, and ‘journeying together’. I no longer have a stained glass studio but do occasionally offer classes. The spontaneity of mosaic work and the blend of grout, light, and color will always fascinate me. All images and information copyright protected © all rights reserved 2023.
Kathryn Schnabel Roanoke, VA |
