Bar steward Katie Munro is replacing pints with paints as her first solo exhibition of artwork goes on show at Lighthouse Poole.
Beneath the Surface collates artworks in which Katie explores notions of mental health and wellbeing and how we strive to conjure empowerment, strength, calmness and joy. She finds inspiration in the sea, collecting seaweeds to make the cyanotypes that are a feature of her work in which geometric shapes combine with often quite surreal abstractions.
“I like the form and I really love a good circle to work with, so I usually have an idea of what the composition’s going to be and I’ll sketch that out in pencil then leave some spaces for cyanotypes to sort of fit in,” she explains.
“The sea is a big inspiration. I live in Poole and am affected by proximity to the sea – I don’t think you can live in this area and not be.”
Katie finds making art is a mindful experience and her work investigates mental health, both her own and other people’s.
“Working with cyanotype, I don’t really know how they’re going to turn out. It’s chemistry working on organic material so I have no control over the outcome, apart from a bit of a rough idea of where to place the seaweed. Then I add the swirling patterns building up with really light touches of watercolour – I just go with the flow and let myself unwind.
“As an artist, or as in life, you can drive yourself crazy trying to have control over everything, but it’s a hard thing to maintain so I find it helps to just let things happen as they’re meant to happen. By letting things go I have to just trust that things are going to work.
“I see it in others as well. I’ve been an art teacher for the last 12 years so I know just how important painting and creating art is for other people.”
This month Katie has taken the short walk from behind the main bar at Lighthouse up to the Mezzanine Gallery where her work is on show until 25 October.
“I’ve exhibited in group shows before but for the last five years I’ve been working towards having a substantial body of work that I could show solo and when I started working casual bar shifts at Lighthouse I saw that space and thought it would be ideal. I put myself forward and they said yes.
“I’m just so excited that it’s somewhere where a lot of people are passing by and can see it. Actually, the day I installed the work I had a shift that night and it was really lovely to see people walk up the stairs and actually look and take it all in.
“That was a really big honour.”
:: Katie is hosting a workshop at Lighthouse on Saturday 25 October as part of the new Family Film season of quality films at affordable prices with a themed creative workshop. She’ll be making paper dream jars using cyanotype paper and found materials.
(NC)
