My work grows out of the tradition of American landscape painting, moving from close observation of place toward more personal, experiential interpretations of landscape. My paintings begin with direct encounters in nature and then evolve through memory, sensation, and imagination.

For me, painting is a form of meditation and a kind of alchemy through which lived experience is concentrated and transformed into something material—something that can be encountered and felt by others. The work is rooted in the awe I feel when observing the colors of sky, fields, flowers, and trees. I want my paintings to evoke the sensation of being immersed in a forest, standing at the edge of a meadow, or witnessing the quiet majesty of a mountain.

Through shape, color, and gesture, I translate these sensations into a visual language that simplifies and intensifies the brilliance of the natural world. In doing so, I hope to share the visceral delight I experience in nature, creating images that carry both mystery and familiarity.

Katharine Dufault 2026