Contemporary female artist Kathryn Hart returns to the podcast in an in-depth conversation exploring her multi-media works through the lens of love, grief and transformation threshold. Hart’s evocative works are an extension of a very present love story between herself and recently deceased husband Dennis. Join me into the poetic beauty of Hart’s sculptures, photographs and monoprints. . Kathryn Hart website
“Love’s Razor,” 2021“Love’s Razor,” 2021The Hours (Night) #12The Hours (Walking) #1“Gilded,” monoprint“Lost in a White Tangle,” monoprint
Enjoy my episode from my first conversation with Kathryn Hart
Script: Kathryn Hart is a contemporary, multi-media artist. Hart was a guest on my show, episode 99. She has become so very dear to me. Hart lives in Colorado and she and never met in person. I connected with Hart through my podcast, and the show was an entryway to a wonderful friendship. We have talked on the phone, emailed each other. I was able to view one of her installations, at the M. David & Co. Gallery, Once in a Lifetime” exhibition last fall. Unfortunately Kathryn was unable to make the opening, but it was a great opportunity for me to experience her work and use of a plethora of materials, horsehair, fabric, metal wire, to create her sculpture and installations. I go into depth the work, practice, the materials, the interplay of light with the materials and shapes, the subtle movements, engaging the viewer into moments of transcendence.
Kathryn Hart and I met in Brooklyn at the AIR gallery in early July. A.I.R. Gallery is an artist-run non-profit arts organization and exhibition space founded in 1972. A.I.R. supports the open exchange of ideas and risk-taking by women and non-binary artists in order to provide support and visibility. A self-directed governing body, the organization is an alternative to mainstream institutions and thrives on the network of active participants. The collective of women artists had a show, “Structures of Feelings.” Hart participated with a series of photographs, which we will dive into in a moment. I so enjoyed our time together. Before the show opening and reception, Kathryn and I had coffee at a café right next to the gallery. What a spirited conversation!!!Our friendship only deepened. We talked about our lives but also about Kathryn’s story and her evolving practice. Kathryn said to me the themes that weave in her work are Love, Loss as a Transformational Threshold. How is that manifested, those abstract yet human ideas and emotions and experiences, love, loss in Kathryn’s work, her practice—how does her visual language, her production of photographs and mixed media works, sculptures, installations become a “transformational threshold.” As the spectator, as the engaged and curious viewer, what and how do those works shift my perspective and help me to dive deeper into my personal narrative and experiences about love, loss. I think as you will learn and see, Hart’s works do transcend the spirit, liberate our minds and indeed are at the threshold to our own transformation. It is art’s purpose I argue, art, for me as I have mentioned many times in this show and what I want you to take away, is an avenue and means to see. https://zencastr.com/beyondthepaint/kathryn-hart2022
In a moment you will have the opportunity to listen in on my conversation with Kathryn Hart. I do highly recommend for you to listen to Episode 99 for a deeper dive into her creative life, and a journey into engaging with Hart’s works as collaboration. Her pieces are not stagnant; they beckon you to see from a multitude of angles. The link to the episode is in the podcast show notes.
In our conversation, we will look and explore the themes of love, grief and the transformational threshold through 3 bodies of work through three diverse media: sculpture and installation, “ Love’s Razor (Rhapsody from Tivoli), a site specific installation created in the barn studio at the artist Judy Pfaff’s compound in Tivoli, New York in fall of 2020, monoprints created in June, 2021, photograph series, from 2021, “The Hours (Walking)” and “The Hours (Night)” So now, please join me in my conversation with Kathryn Hart.
