Eau Claire, WI ARTIST STATEMENTFor almost three decades my primary creative focus has been the Midwestern landscape. My works are a synthesis of the American landscape tradition and self-expression. The artists George Inness, Martin Johnson Heade, and Wolf Kahn have had a profound impact on my interest in the emotive landscape. The open expanse of a landscape can personify sincerity; it can also represent personal freedom or embody loneliness or isolation. Dynamism in nature is intimately linked to psychological states. The landscape with its constantly changing light and shadow, weather and seasons becomes a metaphor for our moods and emotions. My work in soft pastel has been described as Contemporary Regionalism - a celebration of the land, but with a modern aesthetic. I am particularly interested in the concept of quiet anticipation-an expectant stillness that one feels at certain times of the day. Kay works from a combination of sources: my own photographs taken on photo journeys through the local countryside, notes that I take when on those journeys, and design and value studies. The photos act as a catalyst and reminder of form. While the paintings may look realistic, they are carefully designed with an intent to capture that transient moment. BIOGRAPHY Kay Brathol-Hostvet works from her home studio in Madison, WI. She also teaches art workshops in drawing, design, pastel, and acrylic at various facilities around the midwest and Arizona.