May Guest Artist Kathleen Donovan

My work allows me to explore the unseen—an attempt to reveal the hidden energies that pulse

through nature, human perception, and the structures we impose upon the world. 

As an abstract expressionist, I embrace the serendipitous mystery of creation, the science of entropy, and the phoenix-like cycle of transformation in art. 

Through layered compositions, gestural movements, and textured surfaces, my work challenges conventional frames of perception, inviting viewers to step beyond their limitations and engage with new myths, ideas, and perspectives. My paintings act as conduits for energy, where abstraction and figuration collide, revealing the tension between organic flow and modern constraints.

I primarily work with acrylic paint, molding pastes, bead gels, and tar gel mediums to create

rich, tactile surfaces that embody both structure and fluidity. My process involves building

textured monochromatic grounds before introducing color, allowing the material to guide me

unexpectedly. Inspired by the Central New York landscape, my compositions radiate with a

chakra-like energy, blending natural elements with geometric forms that symbolize the rigid

frameworks of modernity. By juxtaposing these forces, I seek to illuminate the resilient,

ever-present vitality of the unseen—whether it be emotional, spiritual, or deeply rooted in nature

itself.

At the heart of my practice is a desire to co-create with nature, embracing its lessons in

impermanence, adaptation, and renewal. My background in Creativity and Leadership fuels this

process as I continually seek to break down barriers between art, science, and human

experience. Whether in the studio or the classroom, my work is a call to expand perception, find

meaning beyond what is immediately visible, and recognize the profound creative force within

all of us.