Sara Catena

Brought up on a diet of traditional handcrafts, in a small country town in NZ, with parents of post war values: resourcefulness, a ‘waste not, want not’ attitude and a sense of caring for land and community, I found purpose in making and refashioning things with needle, thread, textile scraps, fiber and paint. This is a world I’m at once familiar with and love to push the boundaries of, creating new and meaningful forms.
Influenced heavily by the Fauvists (wild beasts of colour) of the early 20th century I express with colour and textile to tell a rich story that evokes magic and meaning.
I have been literally playing and working with paint and textile for over 25 years now and it still excites me to have a brush or needle in my hand and be able to tell a story or express an idea.

The Lyrical Lovebirds depicted throughout my work signify, what I see as a reminder, that we are more than just physical beings : full of love and able to fly. I find these reminders useful as life can be challenging at times.