Cathy Lorraway

Cathy Lorraway Biography

Cathy's paintings are inspired by her love of the outdoors and travel, especially the beauty of the Canadian landscape. While painting plein air she fell in love with the vivid colours of pastels. "I try to express my emotional response to the sights and sounds of nature by using media, like pastels in a loose,
gestural way to transport the viewer to my sensory memory of a place. I enjoy the plein air challenge: quickly portraying changing lighting conditions and cloud patterns while battling Mother Nature." Cathy combines pastel plein air painting with studio time using pastels, acrylics and oils. She enjoys experimenting with different styles, processes, colour schemes, grounds and underpaintings. She has been honoured to participate in national and local juried shows both nationally and locally, earning Pastel Artist Canada (PAC) signature status.

A lifelong learner, she is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art Drawing and Painting program (A.O.C.A. and BFA), the University of Toronto (BEd.), University of Ottawa (B.A. English), and has enjoyed taking courses at the Dundas Valley School of Art and online conventions. Aside from focusing on her paintings or commissions, Cathy enjoys volunteering to organize and to hang local art shows. After teaching and advocating for high school students
for three decades she now focuses on instructing adult art communities. Her award winning paintings have found homes in Canada, the United States and Australia.