Award winning artist, Kate Steenhauer discussses the importance of lines.
Drawing is at the root of Steenhauer’s work. Her style is quick with successive markmaking and intense and loosely-drawn lines amalgamating on the surface of each body of her work. As the fine detail aims to create character, gesture and movement, the overall design aims to evoke a harmonious atmosphere.
As with many of our brushes at Rosemary & Co, we rely on the world’s top artists to tell us what they need and work hard to make the specific brush for them. At the beginning of 2015, Australian artist, Liz Steel contacted us and asked if we could make a brush shorter than the sword liner (a dagger brush), but in the larger sizes, and suitable for travelling. Liz describes why she uses a dagger, “mainly to get more expressive strokes – thin strokes like a rigger, big wider strokes like a flat and lots of other expressive calligraphic marks.
There is a beautiful Hebrew tradition called, “Hiddur Mitzvah”. This ancient practice, dating back to the Babylonian captivity, interprets a passage from the book of Exodus to mean that believers should glorify God, “in a beautiful way”. In other words, art can and should be, an intimate act of worship. This profound concept inspires me daily. My faith and my art intertwine for a single purpose, and an audience of one.
