Kay Brathol-Hostvet
medium: painting
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Contact information
Artist resides in: Madison, WI
Email Address: hostvet@charter.net
Web site: www.kaybratholhostvet.com
Artist statement
The expanse of a landscape can personify genuineness and sincerity. For me, dynamism in nature is inextricably linked to psychological states. The landscape with its constantly changing light and shadow, weather and seasons becomes a metaphor for my emotions. In exploring the personal, we often reveal the universal.
Physical space, tension and the transient moment are common threads in my work; these themes combine to suggest an array of emotions. My work reflects my need for personal space and my love of the land. Things that interest me are tactile and organic, and I revel in the sensuality and dynamics of the world around me. The landscape is at once both eternal and ephemeral—the flow of the river, the dancing of autumn grasses, the play of light across a field at sunrise, the rumble of an approaching storm. It is the fleeting moment--the inevitable change that catches my breath and inspires me in my work.
My pastels are detailed, naturalistic and often site-specific, but are not so much about locale as mood. My intent is to capture the sense of quiet anticipation that captivated me at that particular place and time. My acrylic paintings are realistic in imagery but I frequently exaggerate colors and abstract the composition to better express what the scene feels like. They combine expansive space, emotive color and sensuality and implied movement through heavily textured surfaces. Tension is created between the underlying energetic texture and the inherent calm of the horizontal landscape.
Biography
Kay Brathol-Hostvet’s pastel and acrylic landscape paintings have been described as “contemporary regionalism” and “emotive landscapes.” She works from her home studio in Madison, Wis., as well as teaching workshops in the Midwest. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Studio Arts, with concentrations in painting and drawing. Brathol-Hostvet’s work is in numerous private and corporate collections throughout the Midwest including University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, North Central Trust Company and Wisconsin Department of Revenue. She is represented by Artisan Gallery, Paoli, Wis., and BNOX Gold & Iron and Fine Art in Pepin, Wis., and is a professional level member of Wisconsin Visual Artists.