A Trip to Africa of Profound Influence
Kathy and Henry both had their perspectives changed in the relationship between how they were living, how they were approaching their artwork, and how important the celebration of life through drumming and dance was to them. They were also challenged to explore how to embody all of this into their collaborative creative lives. through their daily walking excursions from Kathy's brother's home down crowded, bustling - with - life alleys and streets, they both immersed themselves into the everyday life of cotonu, the capital city of Benin, which is along the slave coast of west Africa. Seeing street vendors wearing brightly colored patterned fabric, selling everything imaginable, they realized men, women and children appeared to be walking breathing paintings. their favorite destination, the central arts market, was alive With the activities of the skilled friendly artisans and tourists. They were welcomed as fello American artists. Kathy, as a sculptor sculptor had the extreme pleasure of showing the wood sculptors, how to sharpen their handmade gouges test the honed blades for sharpness and carve with the wood grain. they both were inspired by the variety and beauty of the arts and crafts they saw. The talented people could not afford expensive materials, tools and supplies. They made do with what they could gather, recycle,trade for with meager incomes. This was a lesson for both Kathy and Henry, in how to live and create frugally, one day we visited the 3 story African fabric center where fabrics with incredible patterns and colors were packed into every square inch of each vendor's stall. So excited and inspired by these richly colored fabrics We purchased a suitcase full to take back with us for Kathy to sew our clothes. She used the colorful fabrics worn and purchased as the inspiration for the clothes worn by the people in her drawings and paintings. Another of the life changing realities Kathy and Henry experienced there was the complete lack of body shame. Everyone, no matter their age, moved about with grace and ease. This included severely handicapped people. There was this dance of life going on that surrounded them. Drumming, dance and music live and recorded was everywhere in this bustling coastal city. Kathy and Henry realized they longed to live that way.
Another Song of Home
by Kathy Park
The trance like dance of the woman is defined not just by the rhythms of the drummers, but also by the powerful connection she shares with the snake and forest surrounding her. She is not separate from nature but deeply connected to it. The movements of the snake and the trees inspire both drummers and dancer, reminding them of their home and the living environment around them.
"Another Song of Home" | 2007
• $3,500
Oil on canvas, 38" x 45"
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Woman with purple skirt and scarf dancing around snake with two colorful male drummers in front of the forest.
The Use of Synesthesia in Art
Kathy challenged herself in writing and creating artwork to develop her ability to use Synesthesia to express herself. this subjective sensation or image of a sense such as color line pattern and movement, helped enliven, and addeb great energy to each piece. both her drawings and paintings began to take on a very striking dance of rhythm, pattern and color suggesting African drumming rhythms. these artworks exploded with life and the power of embodiment. paragraph: in her journal writing,blogging posts and book manuscripts, the reader could see, feel and hear her connection to expressing the world around her and her perceived place in it. Kathy anchored her storylines and themes with word pictures and emotional and spiritual hooks that helped the reader experience her hooks, writing viscerally. You could feel her writing in your body. paragraph: Kathy would even use synesthesia as a means to talk to people. this aided her in forming verbal picture connections with students, family friends and collectors. She was a well respected university English professor at Adam's state for over 20 years helping to change students lives in her own body centered way.
Snakedance 2
by Kathy Park
The Doudomba was Kathy's artistic way of portrying our joy in connecting to each other, the rhythms we played while drumming, our joy in our home landscape that kept us rooted in our bodies. She used her ability to relate the drumming rhythms to the background patterns through her use of synesthesia.
"The Doudomba" | 2005
• $2,000
Watercolor and pen, 29" x 22"
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Female and Male drummers with cow bells, playing against a mountainous background. The sky is made up of shapes that echo the rhythmic patterns of music.
Solving a Puzzle of Fitting Richness of Life Into a Finite Canvas Size
Kathy's storytelling ability was developed from her keen observation of life around her. from her lengthy study and teaching of aikido and the various bodywork and massage Modalities she studied and practiced, she was skilled at reading people's energy, their bodies and points of physical distress. working with and on people of all ages allowed her to connect with them on a deep level. This work was part of the huge Jigsaw puzzle of helping others that she pieced together. Whether it was carving, Stone or wood, what that material would become became a fascinating challenging puzzle for her to solve. Kathy, suspended feeling pressured into beginning her sculpture, until she let each piece of material speak to her, unlocking the puzzle of what It wanted to become as she listened and communicated with it. This would proceed primarily. Through drawings or plaster models. the subject matter would become an important part of her creative process. Listening further, she would then start carving the Stone or wood. She was also skilled in expressing tension and emotion in these Central subjects. You were challenged to not only see her artwork, but also feel and hear the action being portrayed. Kathy prided herself on being a kinesthetic learner. to really understand and relate to something or someone She had to allow the connection to that thing, Human or animal, to be formed and internalized. she had an unwavering trust in this process. you the observer, and art lover, will likewise be challenged to understand and construct the visual puzzle Her artworks present. Will you accept the challenge to enter her imaginary worlds? Will you let your imagination partner with hers to the dance of life?
The Man From Ghana II
by Kathy Park
Another of Kathy's lively rhythmical colored pencil drawings with vibrant colors and multicolored patterns both on the drummers and percussionist clothing, and in the wavy synesthesic background drumming patterns. The various rhythmic patterns are spelled out as well. How she captures the ecstatic interaction between these men and women, celebrating life, dance and rhythm is magical.
"The Man From Ghana" | 2007
• $3,500
Oil on canvas, 38" x 45"
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Woman with purple skirt and scarf dancing around snake with two colorful male drummers in front of the forest.
The Use of Synesthesia in Art
Kathy challenged herself in writing and creating artwork to develop her ability to use Synesthesia to express herself. this subjective sensation or image of a sense such as color line pattern and movement, helped enliven, and addeb great energy to each piece. both her drawings and paintings began to take on a very striking dance of rhythm, pattern and color suggesting African drumming rhythms. these artworks exploded with life and the power of embodiment. paragraph: in her journal writing,blogging posts and book manuscripts, the reader could see, feel and hear her connection to expressing the world around her and her perceived place in it. Kathy anchored her storylines and themes with word pictures and emotional and spiritual hooks that helped the reader experience her hooks, writing viscerally. You could feel her writing in your body. paragraph: Kathy would even use synesthesia as a means to talk to people. this aided her in forming verbal picture connections with students, family friends and collectors. She was a well respected university English professor at Adam's state for over 20 years helping to change students lives in her own body centered way.
Snakedance 3
by Kathy Park
The Doudomba was Kathy's artistic way of portrying our joy in connecting to each other, the rhythms we played while drumming, our joy in our home landscape that kept us rooted in our bodies. She used her ability to relate the drumming rhythms to the background patterns through her use of synesthesia.
"The Doudomba" | 2005
• $2,000
Watercolor and pen, 29" x 22"
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Female and Male drummers with cow bells, playing against a mountainous background. The sky is made up of shapes that echo the rhythmic patterns of music.