KATHERINE WALKER Contemporary Art Dumfries & Galloway is currently home to over 300 visual artists and the

following selection offers a glimpse of the diversity of their practise, from printmaking and painting to sculpture and environmental art. Artists chose to live and work in the region for many reasons, but for many it is the same motive that drew the artists of Kirkcudbright artists colony at the start of the 20th century; that is, the quality of light and rural aspect which engenders creativity. Although Gracefield does not have an acquisitions budget, funds have been raised from different public and private sources to support the accession of contemporary work into the Collection. The Arts Development Fund (Dumfries & Galloway Council) enabled 6 new works to be purchased in 1997 and the Dumfriesshire Educational Trust has been instrumental in ensuring that work made in Dumfries & Galloway is well represented in the collection.

Title: May Day Media: Print Size: 1996 Catalogue no.: 461D Accession Date: Owner: Dumfriesshire Educational Trust

ABOUT CATHERINE WALKER: Born in the Top end of australia Darwin in the Northern territory then living in a town called Batchelor .. 60 miles south of Darwin for the first 7 years of my life . I was lucky enough to have the bush as my playground as a child growing up. bush lifestyle gave me a definite respect for the land ,its creatures /inhabitants and also gave me a real sense of curiousity for all things pertaining to natureand creation in general. I thank my wonderful father and mother for giving me that gift of a beautiful ,natural bush lifestyle..even if it was only for a short time in my life..I do remember the sights the sounds and the smells of the australian tropical bushlands.. and those wonderful memories will stay with me and influence me and my paintings forever.

I have lived in Dandenong Victoria Australia on the poor side of town..LOL for the past 33 years and I paint on canvas, wood, ceramics , furniture.. anything that I can find.. anything that would hold some paint, I also like to use recycled materials..and I collect twisted branches that have fallen from my gum trees..thinking that I might like to make some pilgrims staffs,or walking sticks from these, some day soon..hha!!

Ive been in a small number of group exhibitions both in melbourne and sydney I have a very supportive family where my art is concerned.

Ive had just one solo exhibition ,in a place called The old cheese factory a public art gallery here in victoria which was a gorgeous old world looking building made of stone and all very enjoyablemaybe it didnt give me the monetary gain that I needed and wanted but emotionally it was very exciting..and I was proud of my great efforts to get the exhibition together..The exhibition was a success in that ,and many other ways. I usually paint the visions in my head..they can come to me at any time .. I paint from my imagination, and rarely paint in any other way , though occassionally I might go outside and try to paint what I see in the garden or try to paint a scene that has impressed me from a camping trip or a bush walk .

I have many different styles of painting and use many different paints and techniques from pencil and ink to charcoal, oils and acrylics house paint even..yes ,house paint is great ! my favourite paint is acrylic because of its quick drying time..enabling my thoughts or visions to be trapped on the canvas at lightening speed .Ive been told that I have great originality and a diverse variation in stylecool .. and thanks!

my work is my ownI never copy from other peoples works. I am 53 years old..and have been painting for over 35 years ..My latest batch of paintings..and my newest sessions have revealed some interesting ideas around angelic beings , and some paintings of the earth and her natural beauty.

I have many Interests.. like reading, especially a certain book called A course in miracles which has inspired me for 15 years now .. I also like to read and study about manifesting our desires at a quicker ratesometimes it works..sometimes it doesnt..ha!

I also love fossiking for shells and old bits of junk that people would think of as mainly rubbish.. I also like to treasure hunt.. and loved to gold pan at Eldorado victoria in the beechworth area ..a great spot and beautiful environment to be at one with nature..

I am very interested in the UFO phenomenom..I think I always have been.. and after seeing a strange light in the sky in 1993.. where 7 of us were watching the sky that night. we witnessed the strangest craft we ever saw.. this set the stage for a consuming hobby.

I have painted some UFOs and alien type creatures after witnessing this strange light . though in reality I have never seen any Aliens.. I feel sure that Ive met a few humans who could be straight from another planet..LOL !

I hope to make a living from what I do best..and that is painting ..but you know I think that an artists path is rather a hard road to travel..and sometimes the artist is not

recognized as offering a valuable commodity to society.. and we are often thought of as either bad, mad or both !

I think this attitude is quite wrong ..and that Artists are pretty straight talking peoples..they are well grounded for the most part and the most valuable contributers to Life In the world..we are an Underrated lot.. maybe a slightly strange lot in that we are usually quite sensitive ,were a mysterious and sometimes odd lot compared to the rest of society..but a beautiful bunch of peoples anyway ! I think we should pat ourselves on the back from time to time because we add so much interest and beauty to this world even if it often goes unrecognized.

Lady in a sunroom Acrylic on a stretched canvas A bright little painting 20 inches x 20 inches Lady in the sunroom.. I was thinking of those very warm summer days when we all like a bit of a siesta time..it might be mid afternoon.. maybe some grapes and some time out..and not so many clothes on..its warm and

the birds have found a way in to enjoy a few crumbs in the sunroom I rather like this one..and the colours are pretty good as far as I can see.. might speak a bit of an exotic location ..maybe Im dreaming of a tropical place..? hha!! This looks good against our old red plaster wall enjoy!