Drawing with masking fluid, Cathy Read creates distinctive urban landscape paintings that reflect city life in all its glory. Her work re-imagines iconic architecture through a unique lens, combining structural precision with explosive, colourful drops and trails of ink. These fluid, vibrant elements are held together by the stark, white lines of the masking fluid, resulting in a balance of chaos and control that mirrors the energy of the UK cities that influence her work. Originally an Occupational Therapist, Read embarked on her professional art journey in 2008. Although she taught herself contemporary art, her evolution has been fuelled by a lifelong fascination with buildings. Her earlier paintings were circle-based abstracts, which naturally developed into the structural urban landscapes she is known for today. Read’s work has achieved significant recognition and is held in private collections as far afield as Canada, Africa, and New Zealand. Most notably, Oxford University Press commissioned her to illustrate the 2016 Oxford Almanack; the resulting painting of St Catherine's College Quad is now part of the permanent collection at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Other major commissions include works for Bahlsen's UK Headquarters and a commemorative piece for the 600th anniversary of the Royal Latin School in Buckingham. A member of the Society of Women Artists (SWA) since 2013, Read has also exhibited with the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour in London. Her public profile grew significantly after appearing as a contestant on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year in 2016 and returning as a wildcard in 2017. That same year, she was shortlisted for Artists & Illustrators Artist of the Year, receiving the ‘Wild and Tame’ award. She was also a recipient of the Barbara Tate Memorial Award in 2015.Cathy Read continues to exhibit her paintings widely across the UK and Europe, with recent invitations to join group exhibitions in Japan (2021) and India (2022).