Firmly planted in the field—washed in sun bleached light—these paintings by Katherine Strause persuade us to see hope in the unification of beauty and strength. Katherine drew on the courage she felt in childhood to amplify the heroic monumentality of these women. Defiantly standing over a picturesque vista, a bow taut with arrow, these women are masters of their universe. Whether in a moment of control with a bow and arrow or personal bliss, as a hula hoop spins around the body, there is a profound sense of individual freedom in each painting.

Saturated, vibrant colors, with gemstone like backgrounds, these heroic women stand alone facing their destiny. As an artist, Katherine is a dreamweaver; pulling on a life full of grit, grace, determination, and hope. Her profound belief in the possibility of a brighter more inclusive future is the underpainting in every composition and in her own life.

Defined by bright orange underpainting, her painterly brushstrokes dance across the canvas. Obsessed with paint and color, Katherine’s vision is uniquely contemporary and familiar.