Artist Kate Henderson’s expressive pastels and collages speak of the natural world and the living organisms that comprise it. To see more of her art, visit her website.
“Whispering Trees” Pastel, 33” x 27”
I work by drawing the essence of a place, finding the space between an idea and the physical world. Using gestural lines running along contours of form, I respond to the energy of a space, theme or emotion.
“Crossing the Pink Divide” Pastel Collage on Panel, 24” x 36”
I was drawn to abstraction at an early age. Gifted with a vivid imagination, my pictures were about abstract worlds where shapes and lines lived and played.
“Aves’ Delight” Pastel, 26” x 33”
At five years old I was mesmerized by Kandinsky. The paintings were full of brilliant colors, whimsical shapes, dancing lines, and most of all, energy. It was the first memory I have about art. I seek to capture that feeling every time I paint.
“Jazz Street” Pastel, 27” x 24”
I studied art at Indiana University, earning a BFA in painting and BA in art history, and continued on to Yale for my MFA. School, however, had left me disillusioned about art. I have a unique style and vision that did not fit into the postmodern theories we learned.
“The Forest Beckons” Pastel, 28” x 45”
My salvation was a job in science and learning computer graphics. It was in science that I worked with images of cells, and my love of abstraction blossomed again.
“The Cave of the Naiads” Pastel, 24” x 27”
As accomplished as I was as a digital artist, I still did not feel complete as an artist. I missed being physically connected to my work, the unpredictability of materials, and the physical integrity of my hand in direct connection with the paper.
“My Island” Pastel Collage on Panel, 32” x 16”
I made a significant life change and started drawing every day and showing my work.
“Diana’s Hunt” Pastel, 28” x 45”
Although I use many mediums including collage and encaustic, pastels are my first love because I feel they are the most honest of art materials. The color is pure and the application is direct. The physical characteristics of each pigment are revealed as it moves across the surface. The powdery mark is both tentative and assured, quickly brushed away, yet never erased.
“Neptune’s Mirror” Pastel, 28” x 45”
My inspiration comes from natural sources, ranging from landscapes to microbiology. I think of nature as a continuous flow of energy represented by shifting shapes and patterns. These shapes are the source of what I call naturally-found abstraction.
“Trance” Pastel, 22” x 30”
When I work, I listen to what my paintings tell me. By this I mean I often have a subject or narrative in mind as a starting point, but I focus on the visual language my hand creates connecting with the canvas. A line is drawn, expressing movement, time and voice. It is in this dialogue that my work evolves and the narrative emerges—a synthesis of art, science and personal mythology.
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