ABOUT
ARTIST STATEMENT
I employ various techniques such as digital media, printmaking, photography, music and sculpture. I incorporate foraged Ohio River bank findings, which are then reassembled in unexpected ways. While there is an innate, accompanied romanticism and beauty associated with these objects, there is also a sense of regeneration and urgency.
My overarching intention is to create a polyphony of work that focuses on naturalism, memories, observation and abstraction. My hope is that the work evokes a kind of personal internal awareness of the ubiquitous relationship between nature and humans, so that the viewer's introspective questioning of this relationship can ensue.
Instead of simply presenting such realities, the implied Derridean approach to their complexity and instability might be better served by deconstruction; to attempt to discover the meanings within them. My intention is to accomplish this while retaining the sources of the relationship of abiding beauty and conflict.
BIO
Katherine E. Watts is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, amateur mycologist, and Instructor of Design based out of Evansville, IN. She received her MFA from the University of Louisville (Dean’s Scholars) in 2021 and received her BSc in Graphic Design from the University of Southern Indiana in 2007. She has since then been included in numerous exhibitions; most notably at the Mccutchan Art Center and Pace Galleries at the University of Southern Indiana, the Portland Museum in Portland, Louisville, KY, Las Laguna Art Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA, and the Cressman Center for Visual Arts in Louisville, KY.
Watts is currently an active artist and Instructor of Design at the University of Southern Indiana; she teaches both studio and digital arts. She studies mycology, ecological art, eco art theory, photography and found object sculpture during her time off work.Her art studio is located within the West Side Community Center at 2227 W. Michigan St.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
The teaching philosophy that I follow is deeply rooted in the belief that higher education in visual arts goes beyond the acquisition and application of technical skills; it is a guided transformative journey that encompasses a student’s self-awareness, self-confidence, trust in their own abilities, their ability to receive feedback via theory and critique and apply it to future work.By having a diverse educational and art practice background, including graphic design, interactive design, web design, digital illustration, photography, music recording and editing, printmaking, painting, 3D sculpture, glass, and installation art, I facilitate the aforementioned journey by helping the students unlock their creative potential. I provide the tools, techniques, know-how and encouragement that they need to explore, experiment, and innovate, ultimately helping them succeed in their field of choice.Pushing my students to succeed and allowing them to flourish in their own individual way is key. It is imperative to create and provide an inclusive and diverse environment for my students to succeed in. Alongside their education, a students’ feeling of belonging, being accepted, and being in an open and supportive community is of the utmost importance.I also realize the importance of flexibility and adaptability in responding to the diverse learning styles of my students. I strive to tailor my teaching methods and assignments to accommodate different skill levels, backgrounds, and needs, ensuring that each individual is challenged and supported in their own way in their artistic journey.Higher education incorporates diversity, color, content, feeling and provides a lifelong learning basis for the students, which I believe are very important things to acquire in one’s educational and artistic career. Willingness to learn, grow and develop as an instructor is the most important aspect of being in higher education. It is only right for me to remain aware of the newest techniques and ideas, while bettering myself alongside my students. Not unlike Joseph Beuys, I consider teaching as an essential element of my work as an artist. Teaching is its own work of art.
