CATHY CULLIS MPAC, PAC, PSEC

"I have always been fascinated by the beauty and strength of the natural world so it’s not surprising that my subject of choice is primarily landscape. My objective, when painting from nature, is to foster a connection between the natural world and the viewer. In each of my paintings I try to convey what it was about this particular scene that caught my eye or invoked some emotional response. What was it that made me pause a moment to enjoy the scene? Was it the light, textures, shapes, colours, atmosphere? That is what I want to relay to the viewer. Nature reaches out to us in so many ways, whether it is through sunlit clouds, wind-blown trees, majestic mountains, quiet streams or crashing waves. It is all just so real and it can be comforting to connect with that reality even for just a moment. 

Pastel is such a beautiful medium to work in. I love the tactile, hands-on nature of the medium. No collecting or mixing of materials before starting a painting. You simply pick up a pastel stick and begin. Using a variety of pastel strokes, colour and value choices, a painting comes to life, hopefully pulling the viewer into the scene to enjoy the same emotional connection that initially captured my attention.

My studies with pastel began at Dundas Valley School of Art, expanding to Springbanks Art Centre in Mississauga and the Burlington Art Centre and has continued through the years in many workshops with well known American and Canadian pastel artists. I am a Signature and Master member of PastelArtistsCa. (PAC) and a Signature member of the Pastel Society of Eastern Canada (PSEC). My work has appeared in solo and group exhibitions in both Canada and the U.S."
 

​Artist Email – rcullis@cogeco.ca

TANGLED SLOPE – Dry Pastel