Paintings by Kate Longmaid

June 5th – July 10th, 2020

Closing Reception Friday, July 10th, 5-7 pm

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” – May Sarton

Longmaid’s gouache garden paintings have a velvety, matte finish that well represents the tactual softness experienced when immersed in greenery. In this exhibit, her garden series is shown together with her floral still-life paintings in oil. Together they reveal both the process and experience of being among the garden along with the clarity and beauty of the harvest.

“Through a contemporary approach to painting, I explore what is revealed in the intimate moments of seeing. Working in the alla prima tradition, I paint directly from life, seeking to capture a sense of immediacy, freshness, and depth in my paintings. With still life, I am drawn to subject matter that is ephemeral. Captured in fleeting moments, these paintings reflect on the transient nature and beauty of life.

In the time of the pandemic, there is a call to return to the garden. Nature offers us a haven, a sanctuary, as the source of all life. We need to get back to our roots in the soil, reconnect with the earth with renewed appreciation for what sustains, nurtures, and heals us. In these recent months, we’ve been reminded of the fragility and tenuousness of the human condition. Our true nature and vulnerabilities have been exposed. Our interdependence can no longer be denied. In the darkness of the pandemic, the bright light of truth shines and the winds whisper we are all in this together.  

May these paintings remind you of coming home; home to the primordial garden, the sacred and divine, the origin of all beings. May they bring you into the present moment. May they offer some respite and comfort during these deeply uncertain times.”    

– Kate Longmaid

Link here to Longmaid’s Artist Page