If you ask Katherine Musolino about the essence of her painting, she will answer without hesitation: “color and more color.” She carefully gathers pigments like memories, storing them in her mind before bringing them to life on canvas in unexpected and dynamic combinations.
In “After Rain”, deep greens unfurl across the canvas, providing a rhythmic foundation like a steady heartbeat, while a pale pink bursts across the canvas like a sudden bolt of lightning. These colors don’t just coexist, they engage in a lively dialogue, a passionate exchange of energy and emotion. They form an expressive language through which each viewer can project his or her own sensations and memories.
When she begins to paint, she immerses herself in a deep dialogue with the canvas, listening to the emotions and concepts she seeks to express. This initial phase is intentional and unhurried, a necessary calm that allows her to align herself perfectly with her creative vision. Her first brushstrokes emerge intuitively, serving as an artistic warm-up that sets the tone for the composition to come.
As the painting develops, she works in layers, adjusting the composition and refining details. It is at this stage that she reconciles spontaneity and intention, regularly stepping back to observe the work from different angles and perspectives.
Her work is deeply influenced by Rothko, in particular his philosophy of using color as a tool to evoke deep emotional and spiritual responses. Rothko’s technique of layering colors inspired her approach to exploring the intimate relationship between colors. She takes up Rothko’s idea that art should be a personal and spiritual encounter, making each viewer’s experience unique and profound.
She is very fond of Chaïm Soutine, especially his intense use of color and his expressive, emotive brushstrokes. Soutine’s ability to infuse his subjects with a sense of movement and vitality resonates with her approach to exploring the dynamic relationship between colors.