Story & Lesson Highlights with Catherine Gutsche

Catherine Gutsche shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Catherine, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
May I wander alongside my path? I know my path lies in painting, and I follow it diligently. Yet, I am also a wanderer, I love exploring other aspects of art. Experimentation brings me joy, and each new discovery deepens my practice. Often, what I learn along the way finds its way back into my paintings. Recently, I’ve taken true pleasure in working in a more three-dimensional form.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My art is abstract but rooted in real experiences, what I see in my surroundings, and how it makes me feel. I work without sketches, letting emotion and memory guide me, so the paintings suggest a story without being literal. It’s about capturing a sense of place and the feeling that comes with it.

Originally inspired by the subtleties of the natural world, its transformations, imperfections, and rhythms, my interests have expanded in recent years to include man-made environments, cultural influences, and the emotional impact of travel. Whether drawn from the organic texture of lichen or the geometry of urban structures, my paintings explore how environments shape perception and memory.

“I’m fascinated by how surroundings – both natural and constructed – make us feel. I don’t aim to depict them directly. Instead, I capture the emotional imprint they leave behind.”

Through layering, scraping, and revealing, my work builds a visual history that invites viewers to slow down, look closely, and feel deeply.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
I believe it wasn’t just one relationship, but rather a series of connections with my art teachers that most shaped how I see myself. Beginning in junior high, Ms. Dawson mentored me with steady encouragement and contagious enthusiasm for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional art. In high school, Mr. Tanner sparked my love of Art History. He would often say, ‘Does anyone else in class know the answer except Cathy?’ – a playful nod to my eagerness, since I always read the material in advance and delighted in learning about the great artists of the past. At the same time, Ms. Joblin, with whom I’m still in touch today, expanded my practice in drawing, painting, pottery, and fibre arts.

Together, these teachers laid the foundation for my entry into Fine Arts at university and gave me the confidence to truly call myself an artist.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If only we could all leave a letter for our younger selves to read in our twenties or thirties. Mine would be simple but urgent: Don’t wait for adventure – seek it now. Don’t postpone the things that stir your heart. Dive deeply into your art and trust that it will carry you forward, even when the path feels uncertain.

Find an artist residency where you’ll be surrounded by kindred spirits – painters, musicians, writers, dreamers. There, you’ll not only grow your craft but also discover yourself in ways you never imagined. Listen to their stories, share your own, and let those connections remind you that art is not created in isolation but in conversation with the world.

Most of all, be brave. Take the leaps that make your heart race, the ones that terrify you just enough to know they matter. Those risks, those moments of uncertainty, will shape you more than comfort ever could. They will become the stepping stones of your journey – the ones that define who you are as both an artist and a human being.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Now that I am no longer bound to producing work for a specific gallery, I feel liberated to follow my heart into projects that truly excite me – especially those my gallerist might once have resisted simply because they diverged from the body of work I created over the past decade. Galleries thrive on consistency, but as an artist, I crave growth, risk, and discovery. Without the pressure of conforming to expectations, I feel free to experiment, to chase new ideas, and to push my practice into directions I once only imagined.

I feel compelled to expand and enrich my body of work in ways that challenge me, that surprise me, and that ignite a deeper passion for making. My current journey into three-dimensional work has opened doors to possibilities that are as invigorating as they are demanding. It requires patience, problem-solving, and a willingness to embrace failure as part of the process – but the rewards are immense.

I intend to pursue this path wholeheartedly, allowing it to unfold as long as it continues to feed my creativity and curiosity. And when the time comes to turn the next corner, I will welcome it, knowing that every step of this exploration strengthens my voice as an artist and brings me closer to the truest expression of my work.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing? 
I hope I won’t regret saying this, but if I never return to the artist residency at Château d’Orquevaux, I know I will regret it deeply. This past year, I had the extraordinary privilege of spending two weeks in France at this world-renowned residency, surrounded by twenty-five fellow artists, musicians, and writers from around the world. It was a gathering unlike any other – a place where creativity seemed to hang in the air, and where every conversation, every shared moment, carried the spark of possibility.

Together, we created a rare and magical community. We worked side by side, yet each of us followed our own path. We exchanged ideas with generosity, offered encouragement when doubts crept in, and celebrated one another’s breakthroughs as if they were our own. Failures, too, were shared – transformed into stepping stones through collective wisdom. Each discipline enriched the others, weaving a vibrant tapestry of creativity that inspired and sustained us. Even the rhythm of our shared meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – became part of the residency’s alchemy, nourishing both body and spirit, feeding excited conversations that often lingered long into the night.

Those two weeks were exhilarating, nourishing, and unforgettable – an experience that expanded not only my practice but also my sense of belonging to a larger creative world. It awakened in me a deep longing to return, to once again step into that atmosphere of discovery and connection, and to continue the journey that Château d’Orquevaux so beautifully set in motion.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.catherinegutsche.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gutscheartist/