Interview
Katherine Afshar
Katherine paints intuitive land and seascapes, inspired by the scenery around her. Her art evokes memories of her childhood growing up in the countryside of the Scottish Borders. Katherine aims to inspire joy in the viewer and make them feel uplifted by each piece.
She lives and works from her studio in East Lothian, Scotland. Her work can be found in several homes throughout the UK and overseas.
Could you tell us a little about yourself? What has brought you into the art world?
“I’ve always been creative for as long as I can remember. I was always found creating something, whether it was drawing, painting, sewing or embroidery. I used to design and make all my dolls’ clothes and my own from the age of 7. I loved the feeling of creating something from a two-dimensional image on paper to a three-dimensional garment I could wear.
This led to me studying fashion design at the Scottish College of Textiles in the early 1980’s. I later went on to design for main high street fashion chains. I continued to design and work freelance while I had my family. After a nervous breakdown, I turned to art for therapy. It made me feel happy and was an escape from my own mind. It gave me peace and gave me confidence in myself again.
I started off painting in watercolours then attended classes in mixed media, life drawing, painting and illustration for eight years at Edinburgh College of Art. This was a good grounding for me and I have been painting ever since. I have continued to hone my craft and am constantly doing courses online to expand on techniques. I even learned to paint digitally during lockdown to keep my mind focused. Now I paint everyday and have found my own voice in my work.
Due to lack of self belief in my abilities as an artist, I never really put my work out there before now, apart from selling to individuals. The fear of my work not being well received, held me back. I have since discovered a lot of creative people actually have similar fears, so, with a shift in my mindset, the thought ‘What if it is not well received?’ has become ‘But what if it IS well received?’ and ‘What if people love and enjoy my art, I would be depriving them if I didn’t share it. Art is for sharing!!’”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“The themes I pursue are usually all of nature, sea and landscapes: woodland scenes, seascapes with beautiful skies ponds or river scenes. All my work is created from memories and the emotions I felt when I was in a place; the wind blowing or the stillness of the water of a loch on a calm day. This is what I try to portray in my art. I want the viewer to feel that atmosphere and emotion of a place and be able to picture themselves there.”
What inspires you most?
“Nature, woodland, the sea, the sky, the weather, how it affects the colour and atmosphere of the landscape. I’m especially drawn to the effect of light and how it can create different emotions and bring back childhood memories. For example, the light through the trees, reminding me of playing in the woods as a child. Or the sparkles of sunlight on the sea, bringing back family memories of trips to the beach and feeling that excitement I felt as a child jumping the waves. Colours inspire me. It can be the contrast of a deep blue sky against the golden-orange of the trees in autumn. Or the sun and how it casts shadows of the trees on the snow in winter.”
“I think people have craved art and nature through the pandemic as an escape, as a safe place for restoring their soul and love for nature and humankind. Life is precious and through the terrible loss of life during this period, I think art has come through stronger.”
What is your creative process like?
“I paint intuitively. I start by putting acrylic paint and inks on in under layers using lots of different marks made by items I have picked off the beach, or seed heads or twigs I have picked on a walk in the woods. I create several layers like this with all sorts of marks.
I use layers of acrylic mixed with wallpaper paste to make it more workable for longer, so I can scrape back to show the colours and marks underneath. I add water and make drips and move the paint around by turning and moving the canvas. Add paint, remove paint, etc. Then I would put it on the easel and look at it, turning it around to see what way speaks to me or what I can see in the paint and marks. It is usually always the sea or landscapes or trees.
I go with what my heart is urging me to do and pick out the shapes I see by negative painting. Once I have got the composition of the painting, I start to paint in oil and cold wax, applying it with a cloth, catalysts, my fingers or different found tools for foliage and undergrowth. I scrape back through the wax to the layers underneath. I find that all the layers add more depth to my work and create an atmosphere with the softness of the wax with the oils.
My work can take many hours to complete. I feel the piece is finished when I can sense the emotion and atmosphere I was trying to convey.”
What is an artist’s role in society, and how do you see that evolving?
“I find an artist today is more appreciated and respected for their talent and ability to use their art and the process of creating to help with their mental health and well-being. I think people have craved art and nature through the pandemic as an escape, as a safe place for restoring their soul and love for nature and humankind. Life is precious and through the terrible loss of life during this period, I think art has come through stronger. People are now realising how awesome and self-healing it can be. I think more people will turn to art, and it is up to us artists to encourage that by teaching workshops and classes. I feel art is now more accessible to everyone with online galleries and classes.”
Which artists influence you most?
“William McTaggart, Constable, Turner and Klimt.”
“I would describe my work as impressionist and semi abstract; soft calming colours or bright and vibrant, depending on what emotion I’m aiming to portray in a piece.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I have had solo exhibitions at the Show Homes of AMA Homes in Edinburgh which have been very successful. I am an emerging artist and looking for new opportunities to show my work.”
Website: www.kafsharart.com
Instagram: @katherineafsharart
