Damn Dam 1, acrylic on canvas |
Icons: Under construction road scene, watercolor and pastel |
Under Construction: Houses/Florida
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"Art for me is something I think about all the time. An idea comes from a shape or a color, a phrase, a song, a memory, or a passing glimpse. It wallows around in my head for a long time, going in many directions and then, when I’m ready, I cannot get it out fast enough. It’s an energetic frenzy that lasts until I finish the piece, no matter how long it takes."
Over the past 25 years, Cathy Herndon has brought together a variety of sources to produce a body of work that cannot be overlooked. Herndon’s work stems from a serious interest in primitive cultures and folk art, with her direction taking on a 20th century context. She creates informative pieces in a diverse array of materials; more notably mixed media with neon. Assimilating the Dada and Surrealist tradition of assemblage, Herndon also incorporates sign painting and airbrush techniques. “The usage of sign craft and neon ‘sparks’ from the shocking experience in finding and collecting old and discarded signs. They are like messages of life long forgotten. The re-usage of old neon makes it come alive again. The color of its light gives you rejuvenated energy.” A recent series incorporates architectural and semi-religious elements from her collection of world Icons.
A native of Ashland, Virginia, Cathy Herndon earned a B.S. from Radford University in Art and Drama and an M.S. in Art Education from VCU. She has taught Art in public schools and privately for the past 30 years. She currently teaches at Gayle Middle School. Cathy has received much recognition as a teacher, including a Teacher Exchange to London, England, a Fulbright Memorial award Teacher to Japan, and Virginia State Middle school teacher of the year 2004.
Her award winning artwork has been included in exhibitions and private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. She also has completed many mural commissions as well as free lance artwork. More recently her art has won awards in outdoor art festivals and an artist residency in Auvillar, France, summer 2006.
Cathy is a founding member of Exposure Unlimited art group and a past president of the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts. She is an artist member of Art First Gallery and the Fredericksburg and Frejus France Sister City. She loves dancing and the beach!
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