Meet Catherine S. Genest | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Catherine S. Genest and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Catherine S., why did you pursue a creative career?
I think it was what came most naturally for me, which doesn’t mean it didn’t come with self-doubt, self-imposed walls, and whatnot. In some way, I see it as a way of practicing accepting imperfection and limitations while being open to surprises and things working out. There was also a definitive inkling in my family towards the arts. I had and still have people in my life who showed me that a life in the arts is possible, such as my aunt and my husband. Ultimately, I decided to pursue an artistic career because it makes me feel more alive and aligned with my true nature. I do feel like it is a fulfilling path to pursue, even if it means having a side job to sustain it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m interested in the space that stands between reality and the subconscious, and I seek to access that space with painting and drawing. I also find the technique of collage to be a useful tool in creating encounters between seemingly incongruous elements. Sometimes I use collage as a sketch to plan a painting, but I’ve also used the collage technique in some of my works. Through whichever medium I use, I seek to articulate how the subject’s inner state merges with the environment in which they find themselves and explore how the body and everyday objects can act as a mirror for these different realities. In other words, I try to create psychological portraits that merge the inner world of the psyche, the body as a vehicle of experience, and the subject’s external world.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there a person, group, organization, book, etc that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am a definitive bibliophile, so to choose favorites is nearly impossible, but some books about artists that I really enjoyed (off the top of my head) are Eva Hesse by Lucy R. Lippard, Just Kids by Patti Smith, Inside the Painter’s Studio by Joe Fig, Bad Boy: My Life On and Off the Canvas by Eric Fischl… If you’re an art book lover, the best specialty art bookstore I’ve come across is Walther König in Berlin. You really can spend hours there! I also love borrowing books or movies from the various public libraries in Montreal, where I live. It’s a great way to get inspired.

Website: www.csgenest.com

Instagram: @csgenest

Image Credits
Headshot Photos by Erik Nieminen / Artwork by Catherine S. Genest