Cathy Weber grew up in the Midwestern U.S., studied at the Herron School of Art and Indiana University, and completed a formal painting apprenticeship in Mexico City. In 1981 she moved to Montana, where she maintains a studio in historic downtown Dillon. Though most of Weber’s work is done in oil, she is skilled in a variety of media. Her work is motivated by an increasing sense of urgency to make things of beauty in response to war, injustice, greed and violence. Weber finds comfort and hope in the process of creating beautiful images of common objects.
Artist’s Statement
I am a visual artist living and working in Dillon, Montana. I am a gardener, carpenter, cyclist, skier, feminist, civil libertarian and mom; but am most steadily compelled in my daily life by a need to make visual manifestations of my view of the world. In that context, much of my work is done in the service of beauty.
I love the possibility contained in every item found among the tools and supplies in my studio. Paper, paint, pencils, board, glue, ink, thread and fabric — all hold potential for expressing or informing a concept. I can’t recall ever not having several ideas that beg to be pursued. There is always an object I would like to explore by painting it. A story bears telling. A technique might yield something of interest.
Experimenting with book arts, for example, has led me to the discovery of watercolor luminosity on skin parchment. I am fascinated with the secrets hidden between the bindings of books, and tools of that trade suggest endless structural possibilities. Playing with elements from books led to an interest in old maps. Which then inspired me to explore ways to visually map human emotion and experience. One path leads to another, and there is no end in sight!
I believe that the details of an artist’s personal life are relevant in so far as they are revealed through her work. Artistic expression is most powerful when it speaks to the human condition and elicits a personal response from others. I infuse my images with my own experience and worldview, and hope that viewers, in turn, will recognize and honor themselves in my art.
Feel free to contact me at 406-683-5493 or email at info@cathyweber.net
Galleries and exhibition schedule.
Resume
Education
1969-1974 Studied life drawing at Herron School of Art youth classes, Indianapolis, IN 1974 Graduated Shortridge High School, Indianapolis, IN
1974-1976 Majored in Fine Art at Indiana University, Bloomington
1976 Esquela National De Artes Plasticas (National School of Fine Arts) of the National University of Mexico, Mexico City
1977-79 Studied with Gilberto Aceves Navarro as an apprentice in his studio in Mexico City
1980 Attended course for art educators taught by Judy Chicago at the New York Feminist Art Institute
1992-96 Took courses in Printmaking, Ceramics, Silver Smithing, and Glass Blowing at Western Montana College of the University of Montana
Exhibitions
2022 Grief Series, Missoula Public Library, Missoula MT
2019 Understory/Overstory, a site-built installation for the Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
2018 Understory/Overstory, a site-built installation for the Missoula Art Museum, Missoula, MT
2015 Lewistown art Center, featured artist, Lewstown, MT
2014 Held Hallway, featured artist, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
2014 Evidence of Flight, tart Gallery, Bozeman, MT
2011 Rock, Paper, Feather, tart Gallery, Bozeman, MT
2011 Narrative Possibilities, Willard Arts Center, Idaho Falls, Idaho
2010 Poetry of biology, Artworks Gallery, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
2008 Whooping Crones Gallery, featured artist, Missoula, MT
2007 A.L. Swanson Fine Art, featured artist, Helena, MT
2005 Allegory, Icon and Metaphor, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
2004 Artworks Gallery, featured artist, Bozeman, Montana
2004 TinMan Gallery, featured artist, Spokane, Washington
2003/4 The American West, A 21st century perspective at: Cavan County Museum, Ballyjamesduff, Ireland The Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland Sligo Art Gallery, Sligo, Ireland
2003 Sutton West Gallery, featured artist, Missoula, MT
2002 Grief Series, Willard Arts Center, Idaho Falls, Idaho
2002 Grief Series, Arts Chateau, Butte MT
2002 Sutton West Gallery, featured artist, Missoula, MT
2002 Grief Series, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
2002 Grief Series, Northcutt Steele Gallery, MT St University-Billings
2001 Grief Series, Hockaday Museum of Art, Kalispell, MT
2001 Sutton West Gallery, featured artist, Missoula, MT
2001 Grief Series, Art Museum of Missoula, Missoula, MT
1998 Sutton West Gallery, featured artist, Missoula, MT
1994 Sutton West Gallery, featured artist, Missoula, MT
1992 Sutton West Gallery, featured artist, Missoula, MT
1991 Holy Card Series, Nicolaysen Museum, Casper, WY
1991 Holy Card Series, Lewistown Art Center, Lewistown, MT
1991 Daisy Patch Gallery, Casper, WY1990 Northcutt Gallery, Eastern Montana College, Billings, MT
1990 University Center Gallery, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
1998 Clark Fork Gallery, featured artist, Missoula, MT
1986 Columbus Women’s Art Space, Columbus, OH
1986 Black Orchid Gallery, Butte, MT
1983 Calico’s, Columbus, OH1982 Hainle Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
1982 Western Montana College, Dillon, MT
1982 CASHEL Center for Psychology and the Arts, Lake Worth, FL
1981 Two Sisters Studio, Lake Worth, FL
1979 Instituto Mexicano NorteAmericano de Relaciones Culturales (Mexican-North American Cultural Institute) Mexico City, Mexico
