the SOCIETY OF LAYERISTS in MULTI-MEDIA

 Kathleen Kuchar 

The paintings on this page are all 12” x 12” acrylic collages. Each painting has evolved through a series of layers of collage materials and acrylic paint.  For the collage items, I often cut up monotypes and watercolor paintings that failed to make the grade. Occasionally I will add other items that seem to fit the composition, such as a key or a hunk of cardboard or a map or puzzle piece. I work with the painting as long as it takes—sometimes a year or more! Some paintings seem to “click” and I am finished in record time but that is very rare. Usually the paintings evolve over time and I fine tune until they tell me when to stop.  

 

Over the years my artwork has changed in style but never in content. I love to play with shapes and colors and am comfortable with mixed media. Layering is essential as it is what makes my work rich in content. It amazes me that a painting sometimes reveals a “surprise” symbol or added meaning long after the work has left the easel.

 

I attribute my quest for discovery to my early years. Raised on a Nebraska farm, my fondest memories are riding my pony and helping dad with the fieldwork and livestock. My brother, sister and I invented our own games and spent a lot of time making igloos, playhouses and forts. At the one-room country school, the teacher encouraged me to draw and create when I finished my bookwork. It was nice to be the only kid in my class for all eight years. As a four-year old child, I remember telling my parents that I was going to be an artist and teacher. Thanks to their love and support, my dream came true. I earned art degrees from Kearney State College in Nebraska, Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas, and Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. I taught high school art for two years followed by 34 years of teaching painting and design at Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas, retiring in 2001. Now I enjoy traveling, working in the studio, attending SLMM conferences, and exhibiting my work.

 

I have been a long-time member of the Society of Layerists in Multi-Media. This group has provided me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful artists who have become life-long friends. The meetings we have, the books that we publish, the website—all are so important in our goal of staying “connected.”