Exhibition Feature – LIVING by Catherine Haggarty at Geary Contemporary

Thoughts on the exhibition by Catherine Haggarty:

The way in which I work is the only way I know how to work – I approach the paintings like I approach drawing. I use an airbrush gun because it allows me to make a long continuous line – a sketch if you will. Then I can layer the atmosphere and erase with gesso – and paint again – this is a sort of additive and subtractive approach. The final layers are oil stick and thin air brush – these paintings are about touch in many ways. The transparency or absence is as important as the opacity and saturation. This gives weight and importance where it is needed – it also points to the hand in very specific ways.

I wasn’t really trained classically in painting – I approach paintings with a series of personal desires and my set of skills – which are mostly from drawing. I don’t see many challenges in these materials or these processes as I have enough to wrestle with – so I try to approach painting and drawing with pleasure. The only thing to mention is that the oil stick is final, it can’t be erased really – so that addition when it happens has to be considered. There is a lot to risk but a lot to gain as well – I like this.