Kathryn Haug

My practice revolves around the physicality of paint, and the manipulation of paint to make new versions of things from reality. I aim to make the paint very obvious in my work, so the texture and consistency is evident: the thickness, stickiness, drips, blobs, streaks, scratches. It is something that awakens the sensation of touch, and invites the hand to touch, despite painting being a ‘visual’ art.

I enjoy the balance between controlling the paint and allowing it to be just paint: making careful, descriptive marks in some places, while letting the paint drip, smear or run in other places. As a result my paintings often have representational elements as well as abstract elements.

My work also investigates the act of making a representation of something directly from life. When working from life, as opposed to working from a photo, the subject matter is constantly changing, if only by small degrees, in colour, position, light, mood, etc. The sun moves over the landscape, or the model grows tired and his posture changes. This requires me to make quick or concise observations: to obtain some kind of grasp on the information before me while it remains relatively the same. Working from life also allows me to get a better understanding of aspects of the subject, such as colour, shape, light, texture and mood. I prefer to work quickly and complete the painting in one sitting if possible so that the paint is wet the whole time I am working on it. I feel this unifies the surface of the painting and allows the material qualities of the paint to show more clearly.

I choose my subject matter mainly based on its potential to be made with paint: often it is the three dimensional shape and the colours that interest me, or some possible relationship that can be made between the object and paint. I also choose subjects based on a sense of familiarity or memory. This gives me another level of understanding about the subject which may allow for greater accuracy or suggest alternate ways in which it could be made with paint.

I enjoy the look, feel and manipulation of paint: I want the viewer to experience this too.

ARTIST STATEMENT 'WIP' (Work in Progress 2018 - Kathryn Haug

Kathryn Haug’s practice revolves around the material qualities of paint in relation to a variety of subject matter. Her new work plays with paint texture, mark making and colour interacting with familiar, everyday objects. The paintings are made using the 'alla prima' method where the whole painting is completed in one sitting, while all the paint is wet. This makes each mark clear and significant, allowing the nature or materiality of the paint to show clearly. The paint and marks are not disguised to create a realistic representation, but allowed to interact boldly with the subject; the paint itself is made to be a prominent and important part of the work.

ARTIST STATEMENT 'reincarnation' 2018 - Kathryn Haug

These paintings are of tools that belonged to my father who passed away unexpectedly two years ago from mesothelioma. He was a plasterer by trade, but also a general handy-man, and his shed still remains largely as it was, full of many different well-used tools. The tools have taken on a strong significance for me since his death.

The paintings were made in a small studio space I have in his shed. I chose tools that were familiar to me, that I had seen being used many times, and those which had potential to be made with paint.

Each tool was cleaned and oiled to remove rust and brighten what colours may have been present. I have painted the tools to be life-size, as it was important to me that they are objects that are related to/used by a person.

The paintings have been made using the ‘alla prima’ method, whereby the painting is completed in one wet, or in one day, so that there is no layering and the marks and the qualities of the paint are clear to see. This requires careful observation and concise mark-making, as well as decisions about what details to include, and which to omit. In many places the tools have been ‘repaired’ through being painted: rust spots, split handle-grips, chipped edges.

I think of the tools as having been preserved in a new version, made with paint.

Curriculum Vitae

Kathryn-Haug-CV-2018-pdf..pdf (pdf 331kB)

Exhibitions

• Wed 11 Dec - Fri 10 Jan 2020 'Seasonal Salon' - STALA CONTEMPORARY artists (Gallery A)

  A salon hang of some of the works of the incredible artists who exhibit at STALA CONTEMPORARY. Join us to celebrate the amazing art year that was! Works pictured here are just an indication and will be available to cash and carry after Opening Night.

• Wed 12 Jun - Fri 05 Jul 2019 'In the Moment' - Chloe Tupper & Kathryn Haug

  A joint solo exhibition of new work by Chloe Tupper and Kathryn Haug combining still life, landscape and portraiture. It is a must-see show!

• Tue 11 Dec - Sat 12 Jan 2019 'WIP' (Work in Progress) - Group Exhibition (Image courtesy Ian Williams artist)

  STALA CONTEMPORARY is proud to celebrate the opening of its new gallery premises with its inaugural group exhibition 'WIP (Work in Progress' running 11 -29 December 2018. Featuring an exuberant and eclectic assembly of 17 exceptional artists:

  Adam Hisham Ismail/ Alex Maciver/ Anna Sabadini/ Anne Walmsley/ Ayad Alqaragholli/ Denise Pepper/ Di Cubitt/ Ellen Norrish/ Jarrad Martyn/ Kathryn Haug/ Kim Hyunji/ Liam Dee/ Marcia Espinosa/ Michelle Hyland/ Richard Healy/ Sue Leeming/ Wade Taylor

  Affordable/Collectable Art from the West End Arts Precinct to you!

  Image courtesy Ian Williams artist

• Tue 13 Mar - Fri 23 Mar 2018 'reincarnation' - Group Exhibition

  'reincarnation' is the first group exhibition to celebrate the launch of STALA CONTEMPORARY. Running TUESDAY 13 - Friday 23 March 'reincarnation' features a stellar line up of 13 diverse and dynamic contemporary artists from WA, Melbourne and Sydney,. STALA CONTEMPORARY is thrilled to be featuring painting, drawing and sculptures by Richard Healy (Sydney), Kim Hyunji (Melbourne), Kathryn Haug, Jarrad Martyn, Alex Maciver, Wade Taylor, Michelle Hyland, Di Cubitt, Ayad Alqaragholli, Marcia Espinosa, Anne Walmsley, Ellen Norrish and Adam Hisham Ismail.

  Participating artists have been invited to exhibit new or recent works that respond to the theme of reincarnation.

• Fri 25 Nov - Sat 17 Dec 2016 'Unresolving' - Kathryn Haug

  emerge ART SPACE is delighted to be holding Kathryn Haug's important fifth solo painting exhibition 'Unresolving' at Turner Galleries' Engine Room 2 opening 6pm FRIDAY 25 November and running until Saturday 17 December 2016. We look forward to seeing all of our clients, old and new at this fabulous new show! 

• Wed 22 Jul - Wed 19 Aug 2015 'Medley' - Group exhibition

  An eclectic group exhibition by some of our favourite artists including Kathryn Haug, Chloe Tupper, Di Cubitt, Jarrad Martyn, Dianne Gall, Alana McVeigh and Denise Pepper.

• Wed 19 Mar - Fri 11 Apr 2014 'Parallel' - Kathryn Haug and Chloe Tupper

  ‘Parallel’ is the intersection of joint solo exhibitions of former Curtin University graduates and peers Kathryn Haug and Chloe Tupper who have been making matching still life paintings- that is working from the same still life and producing quite different results. Kathryn has had three highly successful solo shows at emerge and was a first time finalist in the 2013 Doug Moran painting prize. We are thrilled to introduce Chloe’s elegant and restrained vignettes to the gallery.

• Wed 28 Aug - Wed 18 Sep 2013 'Eclectica' - Group Exhibition

  A group exhibition by some of the eclectic and interesting artists we represent, including some we haven't shown for a while! 

• Wed 25 Jul - Wed 15 Aug 2012 'Transmute'- Kathryn Haug

  Kathryn Haug’s important third solo at emerge continues her unique use of paint to portray the familiar in new and unfamiliar ways. This new exhibition will feature both her signature portrait studies and her quietly powerful rural landscapes. **Works are available for sale now.**

• Tue 06 Dec - Fri 16 Dec 2011 'Directors' Cut' - Group Exhibition

  An engaging selection of new and stockroom works including paintings, sculpture, ceramics, glass and jewellery from a selection of emerge's represented artists including Pierre Capponi, Di Cubitt, Sharon Dawes, Estelle Dean, Dianne Gall, Kathryn Haug, Lindsay Harris, Thomas Heidt, Gigi Hesterman, Alana McVeigh, Ben Sherar, Felicity Sivewright, David Small, Catherine Swioklo and jewellery designer Charlotte Sykora.

• Wed 09 Feb - Fri 25 Feb 2011 'Grasp'- Kathryn Haug

  This is Kathryn Haug's stunning second solo exhibition and her new work continues an exploration of the paint medium and the manipulation of paint. The work focuses on the materiality of paint - the way it looks, feels and behaves - as well as investigating the act of making a representation of something directly from life; where observation, correction, repetition, and passing time come into play.

• Wed 10 Nov - Fri 26 Nov 2010 'Reconfigured' - A group exhibition of figurative paintings.

  Introducing three new artists - acclaimed South Australian artists Dianne Gall and Richard Maurovic and WA artist Karen Seaman.

• Wed 25 Nov - Sun 13 Dec 2009 'cream 02' - Kathryn Haug

  In December 2007 emerge ART SPACE initiated the 'cream' award for an outstanding final year tertiary arts graduate and the 2008 recipient was Kathryn Haug, a painter and graduate of Curtin University. The 'cream 02' exhibition (her first solo) is the culmination of this award and will showcase Kathryn's luscious paintings, using her signature thickly applied gestural paint depictions of humble everyday domestic objects and memories of a blissful rural childhood. Using economy of line Kathryn effortlessly conveys complex objects with a unique 'liveliness'.

Works