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Downing's art featured at library
Katherine Downing, a former Quincy resident and now of Ephrata, has a showing of her latest work in the Mary Kazda Art Space at the Quincy Public Library.
The show consists of eight paintings that were especially done for the Quincy show, including six which have already been sold.
Among the paintings is that of a horse running, showing just legs and hooves; a meditation piece; and a crane. Downing said the painting Calling the Healing Waters “was commissioned by the Soap Lake Garden club to symbolize the world’s only human-sized sundial. This image has become a trademark for the project.”
Her painting Man and Dog — Heading Home was shown at the Waterville fair and won “Best in Show” in the professional class.
Downing has been awarded many honors for her paintings since she gave up her profession as a hairdresser 16 years ago. Last year she was the commissioned artist for the Big Bend “Cellarbration!” fund-raiser for the Big Bend Community College Foundation. She won a first place and a second place last year at the Annual Western Art Show and Sale in Coulee City.
Besides exhibiting in Quincy in 2006, she has shown her works at the Old Hotel in Othello and the Sandhill Crane Festival, where she took first place. In April, as a featured artist, she will be showing 12 new paintings at Imbibe in Moses Lake.
Most of her work is done with a palette knife. One in Quincy’s show is a brush painting. Downing said she prefers working with the palette knife for immediate results, but likes brush work for portraits and for the discipline required.
She tries to not make comparisons with others’ work.
“My work can stand by itself,” she said. “I’ve learned to appreciate my own paintings.”
She paints regularly with the Highlighters, who paint together in Coulee City, and has a studio in her home.
Downing gives credit to Don Nutt, “a huge mentor.”
“It’s great to see her getting the recognition she deserves,” Nutt said. “Her current series is outstanding; she loves to paint and I think it’s obvious to anyone viewing her work. She may credit me as her mentor, but I believe I’ve learned more from Kathy than she has from me.”
