Life & Work with Kathe Madrigal

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathe Madrigal.

Hi Kathe, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey as an artist all started at age 3 when I would wear my father’s oversized white undershirt and paint in the hillside backyard with my mother. My mother loved crafts and exposed me to many different mediums as I grew up. From finger painting and tie-dye to needlepoint and hook rugs, she always had me busy with my hands. When I had my own room, at the age of 14, she didn’t even balk at my request to paint my bedroom walls like Pollock.

Although I enjoyed artistic activities, I never really considered having an art career. I was primed by my all-girls private school to achieve but, it was rarely directed toward art. It was more of an academic education as opposed to liberal arts.

I entered U.C.S.B. as an art major because that sounded more fun than being a Comm major. It was here where I discovered all the fundamentals of art and found oil painting. It was magical and so satisfying. But still, never thought of it as a career.

Upon graduating with a B.F.A, I was still seriously lacking in business education. To quell my father’s inquiries, I entered the U.C.L.A. design program and was hired by an interior designer. When one of his clients asked for a mural in the vain of Keith Haring, I begged him to let me do it. Thus, began my mural business.

I started a company with a friend of mine and we provided murals, faux finishes, and trompe l’oeil services in the LA area. I became schooled in perspective, detail work and different painting mediums. I had to become a licensed painting contractor for some of the public mural contracts. We had dived into the deep end and were learning marketing and economics on the fly. I was learning that art was not just a product but a way to connect with people and help satisfy their desires to connect and live with art. I found, though, that something was missing. I had lost myself as an artist because I turned into a businesswoman.

For the next 15 years, I raised our two children, my painting was put on hold. Only physically. In my mind, it was percolating. For 15 years or so, I was my children’s mom. My most important job. Then, I was back. I painted frenetically, emotionally. I painted saturated. I painted power. I was regaining my artist identity. I moved my painting materials out of our house and into a studio in Laguna Beach.

My space enabled me to have completely undisturbed painting time. It let me hang my art in a gallery type setting to see how they all communicated with each other. I began to solicit galleries and got my first representation. Having this private space to nurture creativity was tantamount to establishing my art career. For some reason, I never considered myself an artist until I had this. I felt legitimate.

One morning, from a Wall Street Journal article about shape coding for gamers who were colorblind, I discovered that I was colorblind. I had always known my son was but, I never thought it came from me. For a while, it really threw me for a loop. What I see isn’t what most people see. But now I know it doesn’t matter. I paint how I paint and that’s that.

Currently, I show in Los Angeles and have representation from several sources. I create for myself only and am honored to have these talented representatives believe in me and do the heavy canvassing so that I may do what I do best. Paint.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road to get where I am. There is self-doubt, the doubt from others, the rejection letters and of course the learning curve of finding my artist’s voice. But this is the process. As a young artist this stuff matters and it affects you. As you get older, you realize that none of it matters. No one’s opinion matters but your own. But, to get to the good stuff, you must experience the frustrating parts. Don’t get me wrong. I still have obstacles. But working through them allows me to evolve into a better artist and a better human being.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an abstract expressionist oil painter and also a mixed media artist.

My work is usually mood-driven but, there are times when I start with a concept and let it evolve as abstractly as it can.

One current concept is the relationship between nature’s ability to create order out of chaos and subsequently, the forces of nature that destroy it. Energy organizes and disperses itself constantly preventing any such idea of permanence. It ends with a piece that puts two opposing ideas together creating a singular voice of beauty and structure. My C-Series paintings demonstrate this idea.

The other area I am exploring is the future of AI, virtual/augmented reality, and how the next generations might be experiencing the world. As technology advances, we might not be able to tell what is real and what is not. It’s already happening. But, will we prefer it? These paintings open up a dialog of thought-provoking questions having to do with ethics and individual preference. These paintings are in process. Now.

I think what sets me apart from other abstract painters is my application/ editing technique. It creates a voice. If you look at the layers, the marks and extractions, it’s like a road map to my subconscious during the painting’s creation.

How do you think about luck?
While I don’t believe in destiny, I do believe that certain opportunities can present themselves as if they were fated. Like the saying “It was meant to be”. However, I think that what’s considered “luck” might just be an opportunity born from the connections made on your journey.

I know that if you don’t put yourself out there, these opportunities won’t find you. People need to know about you, what you do and what your purpose is.

I also believe that by cheerleading for others, giving of yourself to others, finds its way back to you. By giving, you are growing a valuable support system of people who will want to help you at some point in your life.

So, go to that party and meet new people. Enter an art fair and make friends with other artists. Be a part of the conversation.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: kathemadrigal.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katsu_art/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathe.madrigal/
• Other: https://www.linktr.ee/kathemadrigal