Short Bio

Here is the concise version of my artist's biography.  The longer one can be found on the "about" page.

Catherine Sky was born and raised in Washington, DC.  She attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (BFA, 2001) where she studied figurative painting and art education.  After relocating to San Francisco in 2011,  Catherine was astonished by the scale and scope of the Bay Area landscape.  Inspired by views from her neighborhood near Mt Davidson she began to examine the relationship between urban forms and the natural environment, hoping to offer the viewer a chance to consider whether balance can be found within this exchange. 

Catherine begins by working from direct observation.  Drawings and paintings done on location reflect the influence of Turner, Whistler and Monet in a desire to capture the effects of atmosphere and light.  Later in her studio, she adjusts color and composition to reflect a more particular handling of space derived from studying the work of Cezanne, Diebenkorn and Hockney.  Layers of paint are wiped, scraped and scumbled, giving the painting a thick, textured surface.

Catherine is currently working on a series inspired by the Port of Oakland which explores the interaction of industry, commerce and natural forces on the San Francisco Bay.  She is also an art educator with many years of experience teaching art to children.