 | “'Amorphisms' have evolved from the ribbon forms - by joining their ends they have become more convoluted, abstract shapes. They allow the viewer to give their own interpretation, and give a lightness and feeling of motion by the way the glass twists and catches the light, and a sense of volume carved out within the surrounding space. These forms have been cast in bright, mostly primary colours, an allusion to the exuberance of free forms and colours of Miro and Calder.” 1
The integral nature of rhythm and motion is captured in Christine Cathie’s elegantly simple glass sculptures. “Christine Cathie’s cast lead crystal Ribbon also deals with movement and catches that moment in time when a dropped ribbon hits and starts to settle on the floor. Like a late 19th century stop gap photograph by Edouard Muybridge, Cathie records the ribbon’s subtle twisting and allows us to see beauty in movement not normally observable in the human eye.” 2
“Cathie’s leaping, gravity-defying ribbons and solid wave forms are lyrical, simple yet virtuostic.” 3
Cathie “continues to play with glass’s capacity to hold its form across a curve.” 4 By cutting into the surface, the abstract shapes of previous series are now becoming more literal; feather, wing and undersea skate forms have begun to emerge. Employing tapering edges and curvaceous silhouettes, Cathie essentially draws lines within space, exploiting the translucent nature of glass to establish a dialogue between light and shade, density and mass. Cathie combines rich colours with a smooth velvet surface, building graceful slender curves, ribbons and tapering wings and letting the light glide in.
1. Christine Cathie, Artist Statement, 2010
2. Richard Perram, Ranamok Glass Prize 2006 Catalogue, 2006
3. Barry Allom, Christchurch Press, 2005
4. Christine Cathie, Artist Statement, 2006
Born Wellington, Christine Cathie trained as a graphic artist and subsequently developed a highly successful career in graphic design. Attracted by the challenge of working in three dimensions, Cathie began to explore glass as a creative medium. A consecutive finalist in the Ranamok Glass Prize (Australia) since 2002, Cathie is an artist of international repute exhibiting in Paris, New York, Denmark and Australia. In 2004 she was selected for the Southern Exposure exhibition at the prestigious Glasmuseet, Ebletoft, Denmark and in 2005 was included in the significant touring Glass Invitational NZ exhibition. Her work is held in private, public and corporate collections both nationally and internationally.
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