Q and A with Cathryn McEwen

Q: Tell us about your background. How long have you been making art?

Looking back I would have to say my future was determined the day my father gave me my first set of oil paints and a small lesson when I turned 13. My career path continued with studies in Graphic Design, Illustration and a degree in Fine Arts. I was just starting my career as an artist in my native Canada when I chose to move here in the mid 80’s. I received my M Ed in Visual Arts in Sydney (UTS) in 1999 and I’ve been painting and exhibiting on a professional level here in Australia for the past 25 years with a parallel career as a teacher of Graphic Design and Visual Arts subjects.

Q: What inspires your paintings?

When I’m interested in tackling any subject, I dive into a body of work as if it’s a thesis, a campaign, and ultimately to determine whether I’ve created a unique personal interpretation - whether it’s chairs, animals, people, water, or antique glass. I’m always looking beyond the subject to find something more: a hidden meaning, what the subject might be saying about me, or something deeply human. And of course there’s beauty in revealing a “truth” in most subjects. 

Q: You zoom in quite closely to cropped sections of the glass bottles in your paintings. Why is that?

I tend to study everything I paint “up close and personal”. Perhaps that’s a result of my advertising/design background.
I view each bottle as a unique object which has been crafted or finished by hand (prior to mass production) and has a history, representing a specific purpose, place and time - so to me they deserve to be presented and admired up close. Closer inspection also provides a definite painting challenge to capture the transparency and imperfections in this beautiful material. 

Q: Could you describe the process of creating your paintings?

I set up the bottles in different combinations and different lighting situations then comb through hundreds of images to explore different compositions further in Photoshop. The painting process is very slow not only because of the detail involved but in order to capture the transparency and nuances of the glass surface I apply the paint in many layers using a glazing method. Perspective challenges are always a part of the process and a necessary skill. 

Q: Share a recent highlight of your artistic practice with us.

In November 2024 I exhibited 26 paintings in a solo exhibition at the Gosford Regional Gallery titled “Call Me Old Fashioned”. I was thrilled to meet so many visitors to this exhibition who related stories of many of the bottles I had portrayed or similar. It’s those nostalgic memories that can become a magic connection between my paintings and the viewer and takes them beyond mere still life paintings.

Q: What are you working on now?

The start of the year is always a busy time for me - it's a time to catch my breath and plan for the year ahead. I've been spending most days in my studio (especially on hot days) and have been working on several new "bottle" paintings.