Abstract Mono-Chromatic

There are times when a painting’s name comes naturally during the creative process, unfolding alongside each brushstroke.  But this piece was different.  It remained on my easel for days, finished yet unnamed, with not even a whisper of inspiration guiding me toward a title.  I loved the painting—it quickly became one of my favorites—but my mind remained completely blank.  No ideas, not even a tentative one, surfaced.

My faith reminds me that God is present in every detail of my life, from the significant moments to the smallest intricacies.  He knows every hair on my head, and I trust Him in all things—including the inspiration behind my work.  So, in that moment of uncertainty, I turned to Him and simply asked, “Lord, what is the name of this painting?”

Immediately, the word Justice came to mind.  It was so sudden, so clear—but I hesitated. Justice?  It didn’t seem to fit.  I studied the painting, turning it in different directions, searching for another possibility, but nothing else came.  The name didn’t immediately resonate with me, yet I couldn’t shake it.

So Justice it is. And now, I wait with anticipation to discover why.

“Exuberance!” is a captivating piece that radiates the energy and dynamism with which Kathleen approaches life and her painting. The intertwining swirls of black and white with hints of gold, dance across the canvas in a symphony of motion. Spontaneously bold brushstrokes juxtapose black against white creating a dramatic tension, while the splashes of gold bring warmth and a touch of opulence to the composition.

Kathleen’s raw emotion and passion is poured into every movement of this piece, yet there is a harmonious balance that anchors the viewer’s response.

The essence of Kathleen’s work is aptly captured in its title, “Exuberance!”

This painting was a ‘push’ for me. Normally, I’m loose and accepting of the process, but with this one I felt tight and ‘bound’ as I painted it. I even took a towel and wiped off some of what I had painted. When I felt it was ‘done,’ I stood back and my first response was to keep digging into it; to ‘fix it,’ but I felt God’s hand saying ,”no, leave it as it is.” Obediently, I turned off the light and left my studio. I came back down the next day and looked at it, flipping it around from one side to another… staring at it trying to relate and resist the urge to pick up my brush and ‘do something!’ Sovereignly, I noticed a scene of eerie substance in the lower right quadrant… a haunting ‘deserted village’ of desert rock pedestals and yardangs… It felt apocalyptic, I’m not sure I like it…