December 2020

" Making art is a joy you can give to yourself.  When that joy goes into your 

creation others will find that joy too." ~ Katherine Moe

Q. Please tell us about yourself.  Anything you’d like to share, perhaps where you live, where you were born your family.

I guess you could call me a ‘Lifer’. I have lived within the same fifteen miles radius north of Grande Prairie all my life. 

I am the fifth of eight children, raised in a large house on the family farm.   Early exposure to art began in our family home.

An A.Y. Jackson print hung over the fireplace, paint by number kits and crayons were part of our annual Christmas gifts and our mother encouraged us to fill our time in creative endeavors such as drawing, scrapbooking and needle work.  In the summer we spent a lot of time outdoors playing in the creek exploring nature.  

I still enjoy the outdoors and with my husband have a bountiful garden. I also enjoy reading, photography, going to auctions and collecting things.

Q. Can you remember the first time you realized you liked creating art and wanted to become and artist?  Was there a particular person who was instrumental in aiding your decision or helping you to pursue your goals?  If so, in what way did you feel they helped?

I have always enjoyed creating art and making things with my hands.   In Grade three, when asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up? I wrote, “I want to be an artist.”  However, I did not follow this dream for some time.  

I have always loved school and learning and have been going to school, as a student or teaching classes ever since I was six years old.  

Following high school, I earned a Bachelor Education Degree through Grande Prairie Regional College and the University of Alberta.  After a successful teaching career, I retired and at last pursued my passion.  I returned to Grande Prairie Regional College and took courses in Fine Arts and graduated with a Diploma in Visual Arts and Design May, 2017. 

I am presently enrolled in the Independent class at Grande Prairie College.  This class facilitated by Tina Martel provides an advanced class for students to work on individual projects and to be part of a community of artists.  Tina Martel has been an inspiration to me with her level of creativity and perseverance to see things through.  She encourages her students to grow in their own direction with their unique strength. Hard work makes anything possible. 

Q. What motivates you to create art?

I create work from an inner need to make something.  I get a great deal of satisfaction from producing a finished product.  I am inspired by beauty in nature, textures, and patterns and the way light illuminates an object or scene.  Things that create feelings of nostalgia will also illicit a creative response. 

Q. Do you have a favorite medium and if so, why? 

Acrylic painting and printmaking are my favorite means of expressing myself.  I find that print making skills often overlap into my paintings.

I especially enjoy acrylic paint because of its ease for cleanup and its versatility in use with all the mediums that work with it.  I also enjoy water colour with pen and ink and art journaling. 

Q. Can you tell us about your favorite artworks and what do they mean to you?

My latest favourite art works were my series called Mama’s Curtains.  I obtained printed material from an auction sale.  The fabric reminded me of old curtain fabric from when I was young.  At this time my mother and my mother-in-law were contemplating leaving their farm homes and moving into a senior complex.   These events created a lot of emotion.  These feelings of nostalgia carried through as I completed the panels and a YouTube video called Mama’s Curtains. It is a compilation of old pictures of my parents and siblings.  This was the most emotionally involved I’ve been with my work.

 These are three of my latest works inspired by the beauty of fall colours. I want the viewer to feel the warmth of the sun in the patterns of light and shadow.

Q. When you create art are you thinking of anything in particular? What sorts of emotions if any, arise during the creation process?  Do you listen to music and if so, what is your favourite?

Some pieces I paint intuitively starting with a colour palette in mind. Others I plan ahead and create detailed value studies and may even practice in my painting journal.   I listen to music or audible books to keep the critic away and time flies by.

Q. Just about everyone is guilty of procrastination at times.  Do you have any tips to find time for your art?

I like to begin my morning making art before other distractions can claim my time.  If I can do a couple of hours in the morning, I can relax and enjoy the rest of the day.  

Q. Is creating art your main profession? 

Creating art is my main profession at this time.  I have to find a balance between my art and my other activities so it doesn’t become all consuming.  Repetitive activities such as walking, weeding or baking give me time to reflect and problem solve on what I am working.

 Q. Can you tell us about any awards or exhibitions that have made an impact on your life?

An Exhibition that made impact on my life was the GPRC Alumni  Exhibition in 2018. My piece Mount Olympus was juried in and hung in Gallery 6 at the AGGP.  I felt very proud and more confident with my abilities. 

I received the Euphemia McNaught Scholarship two years while doing my College courses.  I was recognized for the most Creative Piece Entry in Alberta 2015 CICAN Art Showcase Ottawa, Ontario. 

Q. Do you have any major goals for your art career?

My major goals for my art career are to continue making work.  I love exploring and experimenting and trying new things.  I also enjoy taking workshops and being around other artists.  I would like to take part in an artist in residency program in another country at some time.

Q. What inspires you to be the best artist that you can be?

I like a quote from Lady Gaga: “Be you and relentlessly you, that’s the stuff of champions.” 

This inspires to make work that is me and I’m not trying to be someone else or do the work of someone else.  I make art for my own enjoyment and if someone else likes it that is a bonus.  

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to share about your art journey or inspiration to inspire others?

I would like others to know that it is never too late to pursue your dreams of being an artist.   Making art is a joy you can give to yourself.  When that joy goes into your creation others will find that joy too.

 Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Katherine! 

Website- https://katherine.moe     Email- katherine.moe@outlook.com