K A T H E R I N E K E A N Painting Nature's moods.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2012
CONTACT:
TAG Gallery
2525 Michigan Avenue, D-3, (Bergamot Station)
Santa Monica, CA 90404
http://www.taggallery.net
info@taggallery.net
Tel: (310) 829-9556
FAX: (310) 829-0655
‘Murmuration’ Exhibition by Artist Katherine Kean at Santa Monica’s TAG
Gallery
Los Angeles, California, March 2012 – Murmuration: 1) an instance of low, continuous sound,
as of a stream, wind, or soft voices. 2) A flock of starlings. 3) Contemporary artist Katherine
Kean’s latest body of work exploring the kinetic character of birds and nature.
From April 24th through May 19th, 2012, the Murmuration series of paintings will be on
display at TAG Gallery, 2525 Michigan Avenue, D-3 (Bergamot Station) in Santa Monica,
California, with an evening reception on April 28th from 5- 8 PM. Katherine also will be
available in person to answer questions about her work at an Artists’ Question and Answer
panel on May 12th at 3 PM.
Elaborating on her evolving study of nature’s complex, chaotic phenomena through landscape
painting, Murmuration presents Katherine’s effort to interpret the mysterious pre-roosting
ritual of massive flocks of birds.
“At a particular time at the end of the day birds gather in large numbers and swoop back and
forth across the sky, emerging from the dusk like a dark cloud and creating elegant patterns
against the fading light. How and why they do this is a mystery, but whatever the reason this
behavior is compelling to observe as individual birds disappear into the whole and become
part of something larger.”
To depict the beauty and sensation of the flock’s aerial choreography, Katherine paints the
birds, glazes them over, then repaints. She repeats the process several times to allow the edges
to blur and, when appropriate, disappear into the background. As a result, what first appears as
a smudge in the evening sky gradually takes shape, forming and reforming, occasionally
allowing a wing, beak, or tail to stand out from the fluctuating chaos.
Extending the idea and organization of flocking birds, many of the paintings in this exhibition
also form parts of a whole. Among the paintings are two triptychs, a two piece modular
painting, and a series of small squares that can be re-arranged to form various patterns of bird
flight.
To schedule an interview with Katherine about Murmuration, or to obtain images from the
series to publish with a feature or calendar listing, please contact the artist directly at
katherine@katherinekean.com.
About the Artist – Throughout her career as a visual effects artist working on films such as
Willow and Ghost, Katherine Kean often hosted art exhibits in her company’s studio space. In
2003, the role of part-time gallerist gave way to full-time painting. She has since achieved a
reputation for skillfully using observation, memory, and interpretation to translate her love of
nature’s kinetic phenomena into paintings that capture the often turbulent emotions within
light, weather, and landscapes. Her work exhibits in museums and galleries across the United
States, including The LACMA Art Rental and Sales Gallery and the Brand Library Art Gallery
in Los Angeles, and has been acquired by many private and corporate collections. In 2009, she
was included in the Schiffer publication 100 Artists of the West Coast II, and recently had
three paintings earn a place in Paint America’s 2011 Paint the Parks Competition Winners’ List.
Murmuration marks Katherine’s fourth feature exhibition at TAG Gallery. To see more of her
work, visit www.katherinekean.com or www.taggallery.net
About TAG Gallery – Established in 1993 as a not-for-profit corporation, TAG Gallery is a
member-owned community of approximately forty artists. Through the physical gallery in
Santa Monica’s landmark Bergamot Station as well as lectures from exhibiting and visiting
artists, TAG Gallery has become a valuable resource for launching the careers of both
emerging and mid-career artists based in the greater Los Angeles area. For more information
about TAG Gallery, please visit www.taggallery.net.
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Katherine Kean Fine Art Tujunga, CA 91042 818-352-9547
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