Canadian artist Kathryn MacNaughton (1985) lives and works in Lisbon. Her colourful, exuberant paintings interweave an effortless, gestural approach that incorporates elements of abstract expressionism and figurative suggestions into one poetic, bold statement.
MacNaughton is interested in the collision of colour, movement, and form in which each piece is a journey and form of discovery. Each piece exhibits her deft control of materiality through a free-form spontaneity and rigorous attention to the process as it unfolds. The Lisbon-based artist responds to actions in real-time, finding rhythmic patterns through a technique that includes both gesturalism and improvisation.
Hers is a delicately balanced and intuitive process. “Each pouring of paint is a form of navigation. It’s a terrain of uncertainty, knowing precisely when to halt or trust my instincts to push the boundaries further. I am constantly acting and reacting to what’s happening on the canvas. It’s quite physical. In a way it’s almost spiritual, being able to think and see without a predetermined image, I’m reaching toward unlimited possibilities.”