About The Artist

Catherine Mein was born in Lima, Peru and studied art at the University of Washington and the Art Institute in Seattle.  In the past 25 years she has studied extensively with national teachers, in the areas of watercolor, acrylic, collage and oil painting.

Catherine is a member of the National Watercolor Society, Virginia Watercolor Society, International Society of Acrylic Painters, Society of Layerists in Multi-Media, Tidewater Art Alliance, Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists and the National Collage Society. She has won numerous prizes in juried shows sponsored by many of these organizations.

Art and Spirit

Catherine has been interested in the spiritual side of art for over 20 years. She started her journey studying the Laws of Light, Color, and Darkness as they appear in the atmosphere. This was based on the studies of how color appears in nature from Newton, Goethe, Collot and others, Working with watercolors she often lays down 30 to 40 veils or glazes of watercolor in a painting.  Images emerge from the formless abstract world of color, bringing the spiritual and physical together.

Abstract Art

Catherine enjoys exploring multiple techniques and approaches that give her a stronger voice, allowing her to share with others the feelings and emotions in her life. One of the ways she expresses this is through her abstract pieces.  She begins by staining tissue papers with liquid acrylics. Then applying layers of these colored papers onto a watercolor paper backing. By doing this she is able to create bright bold colors in interesting patterns, shapes and color combinations.  Catherine also enjoys creating intriguing textures.  All of these elements allow each viewer their own interpretation of the piece.  Catherine also loves doing abstract paintings in a more traditional way using acrylics, watercolor, inks, and colored crayons.