Statement

My work reflects an obsession with the natural world and its minute details. It is about the act of looking, with each painting being a moment's obsession on a particular visual event. I document what is important to me about these events— the dichotomy of three dimensional objects and the two dimensional forms that resemble them, the comparison and representation of opaque and translucent materials, and the striking beauty that extemporaneously occurs in nature.

My recent paintings dwell on the patterning—the fluid dynamics—revealed on water surfaces. The compositions are void of the contextual relationships that define space. Instead, the viewer is pulled in for a close-up, non-contextual look at a subject—the object itself—without the juxtapositions of surrounding environment. Complete focus reveals more detail, shape and color—the subject’s real character.

I use frame, composition, hue, and focus to execute an interesting tension between the representational and the formal. My unique handling of paint—depositing many thin, transparent layers, and scraping them back to reveal various levels of color—creates rich, subtle surfaces with depth and dimension. By blending wet into wet I intensify the light and color, giving a greater sense of depth and drama. The result is a strong sense of light and a luminescent finish.

— Cathy Schaefer  

In her former professional life, Cathy was Senior Design Director at Chermayeff & Geismar in NYC. Later she established Schaefer Asociados in Mexico City, focusing on identity and exhibit design, and sculptural installations for several new children’s museums including the renowned Papalote Móvil • Museo del Niño in Mexico City. She also designed installations and identities for The Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga, TN; and Acquario di Genova, Genova, Italy.