The exhibition title is both a literal and poetic play on my predominant use of the large square canvas and intends to bring a unique perspective of an exotic world that is framed by my studio window. Each painting is an attempt to grasp the intimate connection with the landscape and offer a glimpse into the profound beauty that defines life in the Dandenong Ranges
Through The Square Window
CATHRYN SOFARNOS
My embrace of the inherent mystery of the abstract world helps me to find liberation in the absence of definitive answers, allowing for a journey of exploration and discovery that transcends the limitations of conventional thought. In this realm, ambiguity becomes a source of inspiration, sparking the imagination and beckoning the viewer to contemplate the boundless mysteries of existence..Abstraction serves as the essence of this realm, offering a pathway to comprehend the spiritual dimensions of space and time.
EXHBITIONS
PAST TENSE
Past Tense is a nostalgic and vibrant tribute to the colours, patterns, and fashions of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s—three visually rich decades that continue to leave a lasting imprint on my creative process today. This body of work draws deeply from memory, cultural atmosphere, and the aesthetics of my formative years, particularly the 60s and 70s. These decades were more than mere influences; they were the foundation of my understanding of visual rhythm, emotional colour, and personal expression.
As a young child, growing up in the 60s I felt a strong sense of bold optimism -turquoise and lemon Laminex kitchens gleamed with modernity, and every detail seemed considered and coordinated. Fashion was elegant yet daring: mini skirts and sculptural hairstyles made statements of liberation for young women while stilettos with matching handbags and twin sets added a sense of polish and poise for the older woman.
OUTSIDE THE LINE
Outside the Line - is in part a response to a time when the young child is told not to colour outside the line. It is a common remark that can squash the child’s natural curiosity and stop the imagination from finding its own lines and shapes, both in terms of art and life. AND a response to the child that ignores that direction and does so anyway!
Outside The Line
Outside The Line
As I navigate the abstract realm, I endeavour to unravel the nature of being and existence through the lens of introspection and childhood memory.These paintings become portals to the deeper layers of the child's mind allowing one to ponder the very fabric of reality and our place within it.
Outside The Line
the paintings encapsulate the essence of innocent wonder, nostalgia, and joy. Each stroke of colour and texture becomes a visual ode to the emotions and impressions imprinted upon my mind as a child.
Through The Square Window
Through The Square Window
Each painting is a series of moments that capture the rhythm of daily life and the interplay of light and shadow that shifts with the changing of seasons. From the rich red sunsets of winter to the mysterious darkness that envelops the forest after a rain shower.
THROUGH THE SQuARE WINDOW
Through The Square Window is a visual journal that encapsulates the tapestry of emotions, experiences, and observations that I have enjoyed from living in the Dandenong Ranges. Set amongst the tall dark trees of the Dandenong Ranges forest, my studio is a sanctuary where all sense of time, place and self cease to exist and this collection of paintings is an abstract translation of the profound stillness and vibrant energy of the ever changing vista outside my studio window.