Fine Art
Artist Statement & Artist Biography
Artist Statement:
I think the role of an artist is to portray beauty: to nourish the spiritual soul with light and colour. I love painting on location or "plein air" using media, like pastels, which vividly portray colour and light patterns which move me emotionally. Sometimes I enlarge these plein air studies in oil or acrylic to create larger landscapes to create even larger emotional impact. I try to express my emotional response to the sights and sounds of nature by using media in a gestural, loose way to help transport the viewer to their sensory memories of a place: the changing light of cloud patterns, rustling sounds of weaving fields of wildflowers and colourful fall trees.
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Artist Biography: PAC, A.O.C.A. BFA. BA. BEd.
Cathy recognizes that art is a lifelong journey and as a “work in progress”, she is constantly evolving. Her extensive international travels have motivated her to shed light on the beauty of her Canadian home landscape. Combing outdoor sketching and painting with time in the studio, her colourful landscapes, capture the changing light of four seasons. She aims to not only encourage environmental stewardship but also to provide comfort and appreciation to local communities that beauty is still present.
She is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art Drawing and Painting program (A.O.C.A) where she returned later to earn a BFA. She is also a graduate of University of Toronto (BEd) and the University of Ottawa (BA in English). She continues to seek inspiration, guidance and teachings under artists such as Sam Paonessa, Jessica Masters, Clarence Porter her fellow Monday plein air painters and Burlington Fine Art Association artists. Through virtual conferences and online groups, she has also learned from pastel and plein air painters around the world
Her pastel, acrylic and oil paintings are also shaped by her experience teaching high school art and photography for three decades. Teaching photography has made it second nature for her to focus on narrative, the patterns and moods of light, space and colour while trying to recapture a moment or memory in time.
She continues to teach students of all ages in Canada and internationally and was artist in residence at Crawford Lake Conservation Area. Currently, as the volunteer Fireside Lounge Coordinator for the Burlington Fine Art Association, she coordinates and hangs art shows at Fireside Lounge at the Art Gallery of Burlington. She is also past President of Arts Burlington where she received the Leadership of the Year Award in 2017.
Cathy has participated in juried shows with Pastel Artists Canada, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Neilson Park Creative Centre, Brampton Beaux Arts Gallery, Burlington Fine Art Association, Oakville Art Society, Joshua Creek Arts Centre, McMaster Innovation Park as guest artist for the West Hamilton Artists Tour and the Burlington Art in Action Studio tour. She has had solo shows and solo shows at Bronte’s Sovereign House, Oakville’s Michael’s Hair Design and group shows at ARTWORKS Oakville, Dundas Museum and Archives, Dundas’ Carnegie Gallery and the Oakville Arts Council.
Cathy’s award winning paintings have found homes in Canada, the United States and Australia.
Juried Exhibitions:
2021 30th Annual Purely Pastel Open Juried Show, Pastel Artists Canada, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, B.C. juried by Christine Camilleri, Catherine Sheppard and Gail Sibley
2021 Canadian Society of Artists Open International Online Juried Exhibition, https://societyofcanadianartists.com/
jurors: Chantal Julien, SCA juror, Ted Lind, Artist and Museum Curator, Jean Pederson, Artist Juror
2020 Women's Art Association of Hamilton, Visions 2020, 125th Annual Juried Exhibition, Art Gallery of Hamilton, jurors: Sara Dickenson, Rhona Wenger, and Carolyn Dover
2020 McMichael Canadian Art Collection Virtual En Plein Air mcmichael.com/event/virtual-en-plein-air/, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinberg, Ontario curated by Alicia Morano, Brittney Sproule, and Sheena Simons
2020 29th Annual Purely Pastel Online Juried Show, Pastel Artists Canada, www.pac.ca, curated by Jessica Masters
2020 West Hamilton Artists Tour, www.westhamiltonartiststour.com Online Artists tour, May 1-31, 2020, juried entry curated by Gordon Leverton, Victoria Pearce
2020 Burlington Fine Art Association Juried Show, The Hub Gallery, Burlington Centre, Burlington, Ont.
Curated by Kim-Lee Kho
2019 Pastel Artists Canada Online Juried Show, Pastel Artists Canada, www.pac.ca
Curated by Clarence Porter
2019 Burlington Fine Art Association Juried Show, Third Place Honourable Mention, The Hub Art Gallery, Burlington Centre, Burlington Ontario. juried by Brian Smith
2019 Oakville Art Society juried show, curated by Lila Lewis Irving
2019 Neilson Park Creative Centre Impact 2019, Juried Show, Etobicoke, Ontario juried by Jennifer Cairns
2019 Beaux Art Gallery 12th Annual Open Juried Fine Art Show, Brampton, Ontario. Juried by Lynne Schumacher and curated by Regan Jane Hayward
2019 28th Exhibition, McMaster Innovation Park, McMaster Innovation Park, 175 Longwood Rd South, Hamilton, Ontario, Curated by AWP committee including Nothando Hlomula, Jonathan Hunt, Peggy Kelly, Gaylene Caterini, J. Hughes
2018 “Artists of Halton & Peel Juried Exhibition",Joshua Creek Heritage Centre, Oakville, Ont. juried by Dick Rampen and Shirley Erskine
2017 “My Canada Art Exhibition”, Oakville Art Society members juried show, Queen Elizabeth Park Community Centre Gallery, Oakville, Ontario curated by Shirley Erskine
2016 “Artists of Halton and Peel Juried Exhibition”, Joshua Creek Heritage Centre, Oakville, Ontario
2005 Burlington Fine Art Guild Annual Juried Show, Winner of the Alice Peck Award for Best Emerging Art, Perry Gallery, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario curated by Jodi Joseph
Solo Exhibitions:
2020 "A Breath of Fresh Air: Recent Landscapes by Cathy Lorraway", Michael's Hair Design, Oakville, Ontario,
2019 "Local Colour: Recent Landscapes by Cathy Lorraway", Michael's Hair Design, Oakville, Ontario,
2018 "Visions of Ontario", Cathy Lorraway & Ann Oakley, Sovereign House, Bronte, Oakville, Ontario
2018 "Local Landscapes", Hall of Art, Feltmate, Delibato & Heagle LLP offices, Burlington, Ontario
Group Exhibitions:
2021 "Show and Tell", Visual Arts Mississauga, online group show.
2021 "Travel" Burlington Fine Art Association online member show. https://www.burlingtonfinearts.com/exhibitions.
2020 "Wintertime Wishes" Visual Art Mississauga Member online https://www.visualartsmississauga.com/exhibitions/
2020 "Small is Beautiful", Burlington Fine Art Association, Fireside Lounge, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2020 “It’s a Matter of Perspective”, Burlington Fine Art Association, Fireside Lounge, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2020 "Plein Air Paintings by the Monday Painters", Dundas Museum and Archives, Dundas, Ontario
2019 "Painting the Town", Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, Ontario
2019 "Primary Colours", Burlington Fine Arts Association, Art Gallery of Burlington,Burlington, Ontario
2019 "Kaleidoscope", Burlington Fine Arts Association, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2018 “Plein Air Painters at Large, A Contemporary Landscape Show” , Monday Painters Group, Dundas Museum & Archives, Dundas, Ontario
2018 "Musical Journey" All Guild Show, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2018 “Kaleidoscope”, Burlington Fine Arts Association, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2018 "Instructor's Show", Oakville Art Society, Oakville, Ontario
2017 "The Human Figure", Burlington Fine Arts Association, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2017 "Christmas show and Sale", Burlington Fine Arts Association, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2017 "Friends of Joshua Creek" Joshua Creek Heritage Centre, Oakville, Ontario
2017 “At Home in Bronte, Perspectives & Reflections 2017”, Muskoka Chair Public Art Installation, Bronte, Ontario
2017 “Plein Air Painters at Large, A Contemporary Landscape Show” , Monday Painters Group, Dundas Museum & Archives, Dundas, Ontario
2017 "Elora Plein Air Festival", Elora Centre for the Arts, Elora, Ontario
2017 “In the Garden” All Guild Show, Burlington Fine Arts Association, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2017 “Kaleidoscope”, Burlington Fine Arts Association, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2016 "Christmas show and Sale", Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2016 “En Plein Air” Sovereign House, Bronte, Ontario
2016 “Practice What You Teach”, Beaux-Arts Gallery, Brampton, Ontario
2016 "Plein Air Painters at Large, A Contemporary Landscape Show" Monday Painters Group, Dundas Museum & Archives, Dundas, Ontario
2016 "Elora Plein Air Festival", Elora Centre for the Arts, Elora, Ontario
2016 "Evening in Paris", Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Burlington, Ontario
2016 "Kaleidoscope", Burlington Fine Arts Association, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2015 "Christmas show and Sale", Burlington Fine Arts Association, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2015 “Small Painting Show”, Fireside Lounge, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2014 “Practice What You Teach”, Beaux-Arts Gallery, Brampton, Ontario
2010 Dufferin-Peel Celebration of the Arts, Exhibition of Work by Employees of Dufferin-Peel,
Mississauga City Hall.
2006 "Crawford Lake Through the Eyes of An Artist", Artist in Residence, Group Show & Exhibit,
Crawford Lake Conservation Area
2006 "Kaleidoscope”, Burlington Fine Art Association, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario
2005 "Kaleidoscope" Burlington Cultural Centre, Burlington, Ontario
2005 "Oakville Artists Home Gallery Tour", Oakville, Ontario
2002 "Oakville Society of Art Juried Show", Oakville, Ontario
2001 "Mississauga Society of Art Fall & Spring Group Show", Springbank Visual Arts Centre, Mississauga, Ontario
2000 "Mississauga Society of Art Fall & Spring Group Show", Springbank Visual Arts Centre, Mississauga, Ontario
1998 "Mississauga Society of Art Fall & Spring Group Show", Springbank Visual Arts Centre, Mississauga, Ontario
1997 "Ontario College of Art Open House", Toronto, Ontario
1994 "Plein Air Painting", Cathy Lorraway and Nancy Foster, Texaco Room, Port Credit Library, Port Credit, Ontario
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