What makes a home? Is it just a temporary safe haven... a place to raise one's offspring... a permanent sense of belonging... a place to protect... or is it a ever-changing location dependent of the food supply and outside forces that determines a home? In her Home Series, Kathleen plays with these ideas as she thinks about what a home is to her. Having been born and raised in Colorado, then moving to Connecticut where she raised her children, then residing in China for a number of years makes her wonder where home is, especially as her children move out on their own. So this question is one that she thinks about and brought about the creation of her Home Series. In this series, she plays with ideas concerning what makes a home by looking at three different species 'homes'.
In Bird, she thinks about how Birds make their homes high in the tree tops, cliffs or even power lines to create a temporary safe haven to raise its offspring. Do they see their nests or their flock or the sky as their true home?
In Dog, she thinks about how Dogs make their home in underground dens, dog houses or with people to create a permanent sense of belonging and give them a place to protect. Do they see these places or their pack or a wider territory as their true home?
In Fish, she thinks about how Fish make their home in a coral reef, river or even a bowl to create a contently moving existence in search of food and determined by outside forces. Do they see these locations or their school or water in general as its true home?
As Kathleen pondered these questions she found that 'home' can mean many different things but for her it seems to be more of a state of mind then any one location. What do you think?
Exhibitions: Kathleen's Home Series' graphie drawings were first shown at the Alexey von Schlippe Gallery in her solo exhibition in 2014. Then the graphite drawing of Dog was exhibited at the Mytic Museum of Art located at 9 Water Street, Mystic, Connecticut during their Home juried exhibition in 2015. Now the newly printed serigraphs will be on exhibit at 2018 Essex Town Green Outdoor Summer Arts Festival. It will occurs at Sat, June 9 (10-5pm); Sun, June 10 (11-5pm) Essex Town Green, 12 Main Street, Essex CT.