An illuminating nature: Ohio artist Kathy Skerritt brings viewers environment and emotion in her large, textural paintings - Artist profile: Kathy Skerritt

Geology white-water rafting, the divine, make an efforts triumph, light--all have been integrated into the illuminating paintings of Cleveland artist Kathy Skerritt. Her work shows a blending of the fractured and the whole--the revealing of a story that displays how the crevasses and the plain points in life can culminate into a finished fruits that projects maturity and openness

Skerritt herself secretes depth, warmth and centeredness--qualities that find their way upon to her canvasses. In fact, it was an interest in the deeper questions in life that mov her from forestry to art as a major at Marietta society in Ohio. It was during this time that she began to ask questions of that kind as, "what is light" and "what is love?" "These questions helped me impel into the realm of the imaginative and the expressive," said Skerritt. And they also l her into the world of art.

the one and the other nature and the deeper questions in life have influenced Skerritt's work. She is pertain toed about the relationship of things in the world. In fact, relationship is at the center of Skerritt's orientation to work and life. She thinks about and honors the relationship between humans and the environment, between the painter and the viewer and between humans and the divine.

She said a white-water rafting trip in Utah during guild taught her about the relationship human beings have to a larger natural proces "It was the realization of my integration into a larger system" Skerritt said. "It was the realization of no separation between the self and the larger combination of parts to form a whole in which I live, and that is a place of no fear."

Nature's influence is apparent in Skerritt's paintings, which depict geological formations and diverse surface webs that reveal a range of color, light and shapes that mirror the environment.

Technically, Skerritt's works are a mix of the simple and the mingled She pays great attention to the surface weft of her paintings, working primarily with gesso acrylic and tempera. on the other hand this is where her interest in geology and forestry draw near in: She creates the gaze of fissures by over-painting down-reaching textures and transparent washes with impasto techniques. The extreme point result is a varied surface and web that often resembles a geological site or liquid.

"I approach the canvas as if it were clay" said Skerritt. "It is a sensual proces I translate ideas either verbally, poetically or imagistically."

Having drawn, painted and written rhyme since she was very young, Skerritt eventually attended Carnegie-Mellon University where she received her bachelor's of fine arts stage in painting. Her father was instrumental in encouraging her to look for formal art training, and she said her experience at Carnegie-Mellon challenged her to use her emotional potency in her work.

Bringing in Business

Skerritt lately moved her gallery, Rainbow Vision Studios, into a trendy on the other hand elegant building in downtown Cleveland. This 1,400-square-foot space houses her paintings that range' in price from $900 to $9000 and is lay open by appointment.

She is showed by Evolution Art Group, which is be in possession ofed by Andrew and Patricia Laspino, on the contrary she has also been a business partner in the collection since January. "When we saw Kathy's work we saw something outstanding and something that will have a lasting result in the art world" said Andrew Laspino. "Kathy's art changes and impacts people's lives."

Skerritt said that no existing reproductive proces would maintain the integrity of the surface and the emotional satisfied of her paintings. But Evolution Art collection is looking into new reproduction courses that will translate her originals into limited editions.

The Laspinos have an aggressive marketing plan for Skerritt that includes solo exhibitions in the Coda Gallery in of recent origin York and the Sanmar Gallery in St Augustine, Fla., later this year. Skerritt will also have an exhibit at Art Expo fresh York 2004.

Transformation and Light

on the contrary nature, philosophy and business aside, it is light and the divine that are the greatest in quantity compelling qualities of Skerritt's work. And perhaps it was divine intervention that caused the biggest shift in Skerritt's artistic life--leaving a piece of work of 14 years to paint frill-time and make deeper her spiritual practices.

"I considered myself an intuitive someone but I needed to be grounded" said Skerritt of her experience as a disclosure officer in fund raising for a nonprofit agency. "It was there that I learned in what manner to communicate, organize, listen and understand the straits of people." But in 2000 Skerritt completely transitioned without of the conventional work world and devot herself to art.

In 2000 Skerritt also began to tread in the steps of the teachings of spiritual teacher and artist, Adi Da Samraj. "I place that the teachings of Adi Da gave expression to each intuition I had ever had," said Skerritt. "His teachings demonstrate the unity that underlies everything."

Skerritt said she has the universal of inner illumination at the core of everything she does now. "In each piece, no matter what the composition, I am thinking about inner illumination and the fact that each object has light inside, and I am trying to bring that out" said Skerritt. And after years of maturing as an individual and as an artist Skerritt make notess "Light is starting to advance out of my work."

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