K A T H E R I N E    D O L G Y    L U D W I G          BA  BARCH  AOCAD  MFA (Chelsea, London Institute)

On a lark I applied to the only graduate school I liked, Chelsea College of the London Institute, because it was in London where I'd spent a good part of the '70's; because Chris Offili and Peter Doig, John Berger and Patrick

Caulfield had chosen to go there; because Henry Moore had chosen to teach there; because it seemed the most hippie of all the programs; in other words, I went hoping to have access to good resource people who would leave

me alone to get a lot of work done.  When I got the letter of acceptance, my husband said I had to go even if it meant a lot of debt, but I was reluctant.  Suddenly I sold a million paintings at the Derivative Show!  However, I had

nowhere I could afford to live in London.   Suddenly by chance I met a woman who liked my paintings on the internet and offered us her beautiful home for a year!  Still, there were the four children who couldn't starve and make do as I

was willing to, but miraculously it all worked out: I was painting with a fury, I was offered shows, collectors were buying up everything and the kids got fed, attended free schools, cheap happy daycare, and a lot of student center

subsidized travel: we painted in Wales, France, Cornwall, Sussex, by the seashore and in the mountains.  London was great for us!  These selected paintings on the links are from the Derivative Show, the Southwark Police Show,

the Chelsea Salon Show,  Crystal Moon, the first Godallmighty Show, and also the shows after the MFA, when I came back to Toronto to do Godallmighty the Second Coming, and the Playboy Bunny Show in Vegas. 

The Retro-Spective at the Arts & Letters Club in Toronto flouted a way of thinking about painting as removed and thesis-like, maintaining that it need not be about "dreams and nightmares," but is most powerful when it is  sincerely

about one's own reality.  My reality isn't changing in my work, I'm just finding out more about it as I increase my effort and intensity. 

I also did a watercolor workshop at Curry's with my California friend and supporter Marcello Dworzak, and it was a great success.  I am using a new palette for some of the paintings and Marcello keeps concocting colors that inspire my work.

Copyright © 2000-2008  Katherine Dolgy Ludwig   All Rights Reserved

Last modified: 03/04/08