About
Cathy Earle is a full-time watercolour artist and instructor. She completed the Art Fundamentals program at Lambton College (Sarnia, Ontario) in 1982 and went on to the Ontario College of Art (now OCAD) where she earned a Fine Arts degree in 1992. At OCA, she learned her signature watercolour technique that she continues to use and teach, mixing all her colours from the primaries. Cathy has had her art shown in 12 solo art exhibitions and has had her works featured in 14 juried shows. She is an elected member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour and the Ontario Society of Artists. She has received 12 Exhibition Assistance Grants from the Ontario Arts Council. Cathy has taught beginner and advanced art classes for adults and children since 1996. Her illustrations have been featured in numerous venues including Charleston Magazine and Harrowsmith Country Life Magazine.
Artist Statement
I have been painting for over 35 years primarily in watercolour. Painting is an extension of my personality. When I see beauty around me, it brings me joy. I connect with what I am seeing by trying to create it in the most vivid, expressive way I can.
I am drawn to vibrant subject matter such as flowers, fruits, vegetables, reflections in glass, water, and birds. I use a limited palette of just the primaries, which keeps my colours fresh and vivid.
What makes my watercolours unique is my depth of colour. I continue to push the colours to add depth and dimension. In many of my paintings, every square inch of the paper is painted with many layers and tones of colour. My intent is to continue to come up with interesting compositions that draw the viewer in. The past few years I have been exploring painting with coloured inks for their vibrancy and incorporating them with my watercolour paints.
I am drawn to the incredible vibrancy of flowers. I love how the leaves bend and sway. They are delicate yet strong at the same time. I love pattern and contrast in my paintings and sometimes I will break up the shapes by adding geometric shapes such as circles and squares to tell a story about two circles interconnecting and how they relate to each other.