Laura Catherwood + Collin van der Sluijs
Summit, 2025
Mixed media on canvas
24 x 30 in., 61 x 76.2 cm
From the artists:
In a pond scene there are two worlds in play, one above the water and one below. A collaboration brings together the worlds of two artists in their studios. We find our way through our pieces like the animals in the landscape, their gestures translating our vague emotions through their body language. Hunting, hiding, uncovering. Nature is beautiful but with hidden tension. The frogs are joyously greeting the herons, but also showing their numbers to a potential predator. In a real pond, scenes happen naturally, spontaneously. So, we avoided planning the collaboration too much, wanting the creatures to react like living things (instead of actors reading a script).
We enjoyed this chance to face new challenges in our ever-evolving work. We are grateful to Vertical Gallery for giving us this opportunity, and for being a home to both of us over the years, regardless of geography.
