Cathy Read – portfolio

Contact the artist

https://cathyreadart.com/oxford-artweeks/
07818 240116
cathy@cathyreadart.com

Studio 15,
West Well Farm,
Barton Road,
Tingewick, Buckinghamshire,
MK18 4BD

Meet the artist

The artist at work

Virtual tour

https://www.artworkarchive.com/rooms/cathy-read/827788

Artist information

City Dreams – Buildings Reimagined

A Solo Exhibition by Cathy Read

8th March – 17th May 2025

Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

Full Details: https://cathyreadart.com/city-dreams-buildings-reimagined/

Cathy’s art is in collections as far afield as Canada, Africa and New Zealand. St Catherine’s College Quad was one of the last paintings commissioned by Oxford University Press to illustrate the historic Oxford Almanack. It’s now in the Ashmolean Museum. Other notable Commissions are for Bahlsen’s UK Headquarters and the Royal Latin School.

She has exhibited with the Royal Watercolour Society, the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour and as a member of the Society of Women Artists since 2014, receiving the Barbara Tate Memorial Award in 2015. In 2016 and 2017, she appeared on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year. Shortlisted for Artist and Illustrators Artist of the Year 2017 and recipient of the Wild and Tame award.

She lives in a chapel near Buckingham, which she converted with her husband, before Grand Designs made it popular. Her studio is in Tingewick.

Exhibition information

My Art captures memories and the mood of a moment in time. Buildings are built and inhabited by dreamers. It doesn’t matter the size of the dream, nothing happens that is not first imagined. I often wonder, if walls could speak what stories would they tell? Especially old buildings, but even new building have potential. I wonder what events they will witness in the days to come?

The longevity of architecture usually spans generations, so from its perspective, we must appear and disappear in the blink of an eye. Architecture connects us to the past and the future. Buildings like historic churches saw generations worship within their walls. Similarly, schools see whole families. Even now, in our global society where we travel far from our roots, we return to certain buildings from our past for rituals and connection. Whenever I enter a building I always wonder who went there before me and what was life like for them. Especially with old buildings.

A visit to Manchester’s City Gallery inspired Cathy’s fascination with art. Although she loved to draw, discovering the painting Work by Ford Maddox Brown was when she realised the power of art to tell inspiring stories. The desire to create Art that inspired a Wow was born.