By Penny Creasy
Sitting at my kitchen Island I was preparing my interview questions and getting ready to make the phone call to Carole. I had sent her a list of possible questions we could discuss. She answered them all in a return e-mail. I had read through them, and was so amazed at all the things she had done and places she had been. I happened to look at my “ happy calendar “ and the quote for the day was “ The whole of life is a treasure hunt” – Olivia Wyndham . Carole has definitely been on a worldwide treasure hunt. As we began the interview I told her about the quote and said I believe you have been on an amazing treasure hunt during your life adventure. I heard a warm chuckle, and she replied, “ That is about right”.
Penny Creasy: Carole before we start, I would like to welcome you back to the PSC. Many years ago, I was Membership Chair for a long time. My first question is, I am always interested to how and when the adventure began?
Carole Katchen: I have always loved to write. My first poem was published in a national magazine when I was 8 years old. When I was in Junior High my art teacher told my mother I had a good imagination, but no artistic talent. I was too young to understand what that all meant. It seemed natural to draw illustrations to go with my stories and articles. While in college I wrote and illustrated a story hoping to get it in Seventeen Magazine. I sent it to a friend’s uncle who lived in New York hoping he could help. He worked for Scholastic Books and had a girlfriend at Seventeen. After about a year and a half Scholastic wrote back and said they’d like to turn my story into an illustrated book. I told them I could redo it myself. The book, “I Was a Lonely Teenager”, sold over 700,000 copies. It made me think maybe I did have the talent to be an artist.
PC: Is that when you decided to be an artist? After the success of writing and illustrating your book, did you decide to listen to the muse?
CK : After that I took some art classes and found other artists to paint with. I received the most knowledge and encouragement from Pawel Kontny.
PC: I believe he was an immigrant to this country?
CK: Pawel Kontny was a very successful artist from Europe and he would invite beginning artists to his home for free figure drawing sessions. He provided a model and suggestions to improve our art. He also arranged group shows for us at professional galleries in Denver.
PC: Things were starting to move along. I think you were definitely on a mission to make things happen.
CK: I was born in Denver, and began my art career here. I had my first solo show in 1972 at the Jewish Community Center. My first gallery show was at Saks Galleries in 1972. By the mid 80s the energy industry was collapsing. Geologists and engineers were selling their collections and the art market declined. I decided to leave Denver and go to Los Angeles . I lived there for 9 years working as an artist and writer.
PC: During that time an exciting offer was made to you. Tell me about that.
CK: I was contacted by the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Italian artist, Benoit, had moved there and was bringing in major artists and art dealers to create a new center for the arts, like Santa Fe. The city sent me a plane ticket. When I arrived I found a thriving art market and stayed for 27 years. Like so many art markets it thrived for about 20 years. The market became saturated and artists moved on.
PC: You were one of those artists. Colorado called you back and I believe you have been here 4 years. Welcome home. I thought it interesting when reading about your travels. You have left a Carole Katchen footprint in so many places. Tell me about your travels with Ed Klamm.
CK: He was a friend and photographer. He asked me if I would consider going to Africa. We hitchhiked across North Africa to Ethiopia . Then we traveled from Mexico to Peru. I drew and painted along the way and in Bogota I arranged an exhibit of my art at the U.S. embassy.
PC: It seems that adventure set your path for future ones. I recall you had a high school friend and a lawyer, Marilyn Cason, in Nigeria.
CK: Yes, Marilyn Cason, who was setting up a factory in Nigeria. I toured the whole country photographing and sketching.
PC: What is it you want to say with your art? You have built an amazing reference file with your travels.
CK: My paintings are not designed to tell a story, bur rather capture a moment.
PC: Time is a factor. It goes by quickly. I think you have captured a lot of “moments” Have you used them in a competitive way?
CK: The great thing about winning awards is that it lets you know that other people appreciate what you have created.
PC: In looking at your work they seem to me to be a summation of composition that eliminates and symplifies. You take it down to what is only necessary to capture that moment that will not come again. You have written 15 art instruction books published in French, German, Dutch. Chinese and English. You have lectured about art in universities from California to Shanghai. Tell me about this.
CK: I love writing about my work because I can share with others all the basic skills I have learned about painting . For me every painting is composed of shapes, color, light, shadows and details. By controlling the components, you have the power over the results.
PC: You were born and raised in Denver. It has called you back from your national and world travels. Doug and Sue Dawson are good friends of yours for many years.
CK: Yes they are. When I was beginning my career in Denver, the artists were a close knit group. We saw each other at drawing sessions, exhibits and art conventions. Doug Dawson and I both loved pastels and that became the foundation of a friendship that has lasted 30 years or more.
PC: To quote Doug, you were a major force in getting the Artist’s League to become a reality because you got everyone talking. Bringing up Doug’s name, leads me to thinking about your love for the medium. I would like to know more about that.
CK: For much of my 60 years as a professional artist I have painted with pastels. That medium allowed me to build images slowly, to play with color and values knowing I could change anything. I have the immediacy of blending and moving colors around with my fingers. Now that I am 80, I find it more trying to keep my painting space clean. With flying pastel dust, that is difficult. Most of my paintings are oil on canvas. I still use many of the same techniques, like using my finger tips to soften the colors of clouds or rubbing the colors together to make skin look smooth.
PC: We are nearing the conclusion of our visit, but I must ask you about your upcoming trip to Taiwan.
CK: I have had some major trips to Asia. I visited artist friends in Asia and taught some art classes and had some exhibits. My Taiwanese friend, artist and community leader Aven Chen called me recently to tell me he has started a museum to celebrate the Kuroshio Current which flows around Taiwan. The current has had a large effect on the history and economy of Taiwan. He invited me and my sister to come visit Taiwan so that I can create paintings that will be exhibited at the museum. I will be flying to Taiwan for a week in the middle of March. We’ll be there a week, sketching and taking photos of the coastline, visiting with friends and eating great Taiwanese food.
PC: This has been quite a “trip” with you on your life’s treasure hunt. Your talent and passion for what you do has taken you to places and experiences some only think or read about. Thank you Carole Katchen for sharing and spending time with me.
