Winter has appeared on and off in the Delta, one day it is hot, the next freezing. The flood has left us all shell shocked and ravaged by its length and breadth of damage. My oil painting studio is now on hold for the rebuild; so for now I am painting mostly with acrylic and occasional oil when the weather is agreeable in my garage. It is not ideal; but it is, what it is and I am happy enough. Acrylic work goes more quickly due to the drying times with the thinner acrylic layers and because of this I tend to use many more layers to achieve my intent, and with those extra layers come many more lessons in how paint can be applied. Almost all of my work is derivative of some aspect that I experienced in my life. When I was young we moved into the house that my Godmother, Ethel Smith had previously lived in. It was at one time a one room school house, nestled at the toe of the foothills that separate the delta from the hills in Mississippi. This one room had been added onto and made into a home, and we later added onto it twice more before I had left for college, so that it became a rather decent sized home. It was in my eyes a beautiful place. I loved growing up there until I was in my teenage years and, then it became an albatross of miles that would prevent me from being with my friends whenever I wanted. There were so many good things about being out in the woods and not available all of the time. I had many many hours to just think and be still. I look back at that time with envy and I find myself trying to replicate it even now. There is something very profoundly wild and freeing in being alone. On the walls of my mom and dad’s bedroom, the wall paper that my Godmother had hung remained for a good deal of my life, it was an explosion of huge pink roses on a white background covering 12 foot walls. I remember so many memories, both good and bad of being in that room surrounded by these roses. They became a part of me that will often bubble up in my work. It is odd how insignificant things will emerge from your memory, and become so important to you as you grow older. It brings new meaning to the phrases, “if walls could talk” and “stop and smell the roses”. Below are the images of the paintings that have been given life through the wall paper roses of my youth.
Ring Around the Rosy
60x48x2
acrylic on canvas
Weight of Balance PaperRoses
oil on wood
38x38x2
Melodic Roses
36x36x1.5
Thank you for your time and I hope in some way this blog will give you insight into my work. I feel very blessed to have the platform to share and the love of paint.
I wish everyone a warm and joyous Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends. I for one am always so very thankful. Please remember to check out my website, I add new work as it is finished and available. https://cathyhegman.com
Take care,
Cathy Hegman
All content and images that appear in this blog are copyright protected and owned solely by Cathy Hegman. Please do not replicate or use the content or images in any form without the artist’s written permission.
Cathy Hegman Art and Life 