Katherine Southam

Katherine grew up in the Eastern Townships of Quebec and in Ontario’s lake country; as a result, woodlands and lakes have always been integral to her artistic evolution and sensitivity, and they now greatly inform her artistic practice. In 2010 Katherine established her own studio practice after having completed a BFA in Art History at Concordia University, in Montreal, Quebec, and a degree in Glass and Ceramics at the National Glass Centre in Sunderland, UK. More recently, she has completed an MA in Glass at the Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland. Katherine is currently based in Ottawa and has an established studio practice at Loretta Studios and Gallery.

“In my sculptural practice, I am greatly inspired by nature and the patterns of connections between the natural and human worlds. In particular, I am curious about the ways humanity attempts to set itself apart from the natural world, and the ways animal, plant, and marine life recognize no such division. I attempt to highlight the inextricability of the human and natural worlds by juxtaposing elements of each within a single arrangement. These surreal compositions are intended to be unsettling to the viewer.

My process applies the surrealist method of automatism and draws from the imagination, and in this way, I try to achieve a free exploration of form. By engaging the subconscious in this way, I attempt to force an encounter between the unexpected and the familiar. Part of what informs this process is my interest in mythology and transmogrification. In my work this interest sometimes takes the form of animals in the process of transformation or distortion; at other times, it takes the form of creatures composed of the features of several different animals. I am interested in further investigating the dialogue between form and theme, material and expression.”

See more of Katherine's work on her website or Instagram page.

Katherine Southam