Catherine Courtenaye: Paintings
Catherine Courtenaye’s colorful abstract paintings are the outcome of her interest in American 19th-century penmanship workbooks, ledgers and documents. Using a variety of printmaking techniques, Courtneaye transfers phrases, signatures, alphabets and numbers from original manuscript sources onto painted surfaces, layering her colorful s graphic quotations recall the Victorian s quest for perfect control, the mastery of cursive writing was considered a path to self improvement.
Courtenaye’s work is particularly relevant in today’s computer age, in which typing and texting have replaced the handwritten page. Courtenaye’s abstract paintings navigate between the rigors of lettering perfection and the exuberance of expressive painting. In addition to Catherine Courtenaye’s paintings, the exhibition will include a selection of interesting original 19th century scripts and mark-making examples.
