“Sun Dancer 4th Paint” by Kathleen Henderson
Curated by Matthew D. Davids, NBC Oklahoma’s administrator of art collections
Curator’s statement
Whenever you speak or listen to someone you focus on their face to better understand what they are trying to express. An expression can convey a person’s thoughts, feelings or mood. Most of the artwork in this exhibit contains portraits and busts. Artists have used these two forms of media to portray expression for centuries since they focus on the face instead of depicting scenery or telling a broader story.
The face is the first thing you see or notice about anyone when you meet them, and the eyes are an important part of their expression. So while you view this work, notice the eyes, usually looking straight at the viewer in some fashion even if the head is turned away slightly.
What do YOU see as you look at the art? Do the subjects of the paintings seem joyful, upset, playful, distant or something else?
What about the artist?
Expression in art is much more than what you see in the artwork, but what the artist may be trying to convey to you as well. What was the artist’s purpose when creating the art? Was he or she trying to show frustration, empathy or joy in their creation?
In this exhibit, our spotlight artist Cathy Rowten serves as a prime example of expression.
About the exhibit: Expression in art
To see examples of expression in art, look to portraits. Whether it’s a painting, photograph, sculpture or other media, a portrait depicts a person whose face is the prominent feature. For centuries, portraits have memorialized great people and conveyed expressions and emotion.
In this exhibit, you’ll see several pieces that aren’t traditional portraits but still give you a chance to explore expressions.
Artist spotlight: Cathy Rowten
"My paintings are footprints of my journey in learning to express myself with art. Though I love nature and landscapes, I always come back to the figure as my primary inspiration. I never tire of seeing different ways light affects the contours of a face or the simple beauty of a standing dancer. While it is impossible to do proper justice to the human form, it is the challenge that motivates me.”
— Cathy Rowten
Edmond, OK, artist Cathy Rowten has a background in graphic arts. She is known for her paintings of figures, depicting their unguarded moments and capturing expressions and moods.
Using light to highlight the faces in her artwork, Rowten shows cheekbones, facial flushes and other features to accentuate certain parts of the face.
She has worked and studied with other well-known figure painters such as Joseph Larusso, Carolyn Anderson and Zhang Wen Xin. Much of Rowten’s artwork resides in the corporate and private collections of many individuals and institutions.
<<“In Between” by Cathy Rowten