Richard Kattman

Painting and drawing are my passion. Landscape architecture is my profession. I paint large abstract canvases in the open air by the ocean. I paint large-scale portrait and figure paintings in the studio. Landscape paintings are produced in the field in all weather conditions.

My paintings and drawings are about nature, man’s relationship to nature, man’s nature and the nature of painting and drawing. Through color, line, and the creation of form, I search for beauty and meaning in the universe. Drawing allows me to discipline my creative instincts. I try to capture in every model or landscape the energy I envision radiating from the person or object’s core.

Some of my works are inspired by natural elements – sea, wind, sand, grass, sky, flowers, fields, woods, gardens and night stars. Some canvases are my views of the earth as it appears from space. Some are drawn from infinite places located within my sub conscious. Others are explorations I take at the speed of light to places I imagine in deep outer space. These artworks portray the fragility of life and the known universe. 

My abstract canvases contain movement, energy, slash, spatter, thrust, space, marks from figure drawing, explosive primary colors, handprints as signature and proof of existence, memories, hopes, ocean currents, the milky way, thoughts about life, churning expression, serenity, angst, the liquid coolness of water, maps of places, storms, moons, and geometry.

My portfolio is diverse, yet certain patterns or series emerge upon reflection. The methods and materials employed are limited and similar from work to work. I draw with compressed charcoal or pastels. I paint oil or acrylic abstracts directly on primed canvas with large brushes. I draw the figure or a portrait with charcoal, then apply paint over the drawing.