The Hands Have It Again! Abstract Catalyst 10 artists reveal the hold of innovation
- Jennifer Gillia Cutshall
- Sep 19
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 20
Materiality, innovation, and the mark of the hand proved to be the key components of this year's edition of Abstract Catalyst and artists share a bit about what makes their wheels turn below...
Daria Loi
As an Italian living in the Pacific Northwest after a decade in Australia, I love exploring diverse narratives, mediums and forms. My artworks are rarely about satisfying one’s eyes (I rather make minds think and hearts leap) and incorporate acrylic mediums, vintage artefacts, fibers, human hair and 3D lacing. Mixed media enables me to reach out, offer layers, create shadows or conceal details, inviting viewers to see what is inside or beyond.
What drives me to keep creating?
Curiosity and wonderment. Humanity’s complexity, society’s imperfections and our planet’s beauty are mesmerizing. Challenging times often unleash my work – events that create unrest in my soul, reflections on the contexts I inhabit and explorations of interstitial spaces where polar opposites coexist.
Ideally, I'd like people to look at my work and take away a sense of wonder and the feeling that they might have participated in something that, while not fully describable and slightly ambiguous, connects with them in deep, intimate and somewhat haunting ways.
Denise Yaghmourian
What compels me to create is a deep curiosity about the overlooked details of everyday life. I’ve always been fascinated by the way something ordinary—like a button—can hold layers of memory, function, and beauty. My grandmother’s sewing box was full of such treasures, each one quietly carrying stories of care, repair, and continuity. By suspending thousands of hand-selected, iridescent buttons into floating, kinetic forms, I aim to elevate these humble objects and reframe them as something extraordinary.
What propels me is the challenge of transforming simple materials into expansive, immersive experiences. I am drawn to pushing the boundaries of perception—inviting viewers to reconsider what they think they know about familiar objects. Innovation, for me, is not just about new tools or processes, but about seeing with fresh eyes and reimagining possibilities. My practice is an ongoing dialogue between memory, material, and movement—a way of honoring the past while imagining new ways to engage with the present.
Mary Garrard
I love books. I grew up in a small town and as a child I spent many hours in the library, studying, checking out books, doing research for schoolwork, reading. Now retired from a career in health care, I’m an artist. I paint, I draw, I make prints. And I make books, artist’s books. Simply, an artist’s book is a work of art in book form. Artist’s books can have words, integrating art and story-telling. Or, they might not have words but convey meaning through the structure and visual elements in the book. Artist’s books can make a political statement. They may exist only to be beautiful as an object. Books can be made from a simple folded piece of paper or they can be intricate, sculptural assemblages. They may incorporate handmade paper, typography, prints, ephemera, fabric, or materials from nature. The concepts and elements that bring an artist’s book to life have no limits.
The book in this exhibit, titled Freedom or Chaos, was created from a single large sheet of printmaking paper with abstract monoprinted shapes using stencils and masks. Collage elements were later added. The structure of this book is called “meander” and is constructed by folding and cutting so that the book can be unfurled to reveal the entire piece. Book covers are added to support the structure for display.
The experience of making artist’s books connects me to my own history with books, with reading, and with a community of artists who bring their art off the wall and into hands or to a shelf.
Freedom or Chaos by Mary Garrard
Maguelonne Ival
I was attracted to Verum Ultimum's theme “Abstract Catalyst” and more specifically the word CATALYST. My art is sometimes abstract, sometimes not, either sculptural or functional, but the element that is the catalyst of many of my recent work is the Mobius strip. The wall sculpture I submitted for this exhibition is a combination of five stacked Mobius strips made out of clay. I am
fascinated by this one-sided 3D shape which is a symbol of eternity and recycling. Being one-sided form implies that it is not defined against something, like up/ down or inside /outside. Instead, it’s a continuum, a snake that bites its own tail, end and beginning at the same time. It’s very philosophical and hopeful: what the world could be if instead of defining ourselves against others, we just accepted that we’re all on the same side and learn to live together in harmony.
The Mobius strip is my building block, my chemical element of a reaction that precipitates into art. It can be bent both literally and figuratively to create infinite combinations that clamor to take shape into the world. Creating anything is terrifying if you start from scratch with a blank canvas, a blank page or a
lump of clay. Too many possibilities, not enough structure. The Mobius strip gives me a concrete shape to get going. The challenge and thrill is to find out how I can make it speak for me, twisting it to fit my inspiration.
Tracy Finn
I’m driven to paint as a visual story teller. I tend to start in a collage mode, using various papers, drawings and photographs collected over the years. Time is always a component of my encaustic paintings as I work in layers, adding and scraping away - living with each version before moving forward (and sometimes backward). Each piece represents a journey. Encaustics allow me to build up layers, explore textures, play with translucence versus opaqueness and create mixed media works by adding inks, oil paints and cold wax.
Lezlie Amara Piper
I was drawn to submit to Abstract Catalyst 10 because of language. Both words inspire me. I work in abstraction because it allows me ultimate freedom of expression. It gives me permission to make art that is more like a channeling of spirit than a portrait of an object. My intention is to make work that doesn’t require the mind to name what it sees and calls directly to the viewer’s heart or soul. It can literally spill off the frame. My greatest hope is that the work is a “catalyst” for tiny (or large) rebellions within the viewer, or if nothing else, that it can inspire a smile or a deep breath in the midst of these crazy times.
Lisa Marie Barber
My work always incorporates abstraction, even as it contains recognizable elements and [somewhat] naturalistic figures. For me, abstraction is part of the play that arises from focused time in the studio. It helps me explore different ways of composing and provides a sense of creative freedom— I guess it’s a catalyst for me and my work that way!
At first, I wasn’t sure if my piece “Alegrías" hit the mark fully, but I love Verum Ultimum and all the care Jennifer puts into her shows, so when the call appeared the same time I planned to be in the Pacific Northwest, I had to apply! Thanks, Jennifer, for another wonderful opportunity to show with you at Verum Ultimum!
Reade Weber
I’m a maker; a weaver of timeline, history, spectrum and beauty. I create as I exist; across multiple planes-internal and external, visible and invisible, natural and constructed. I work to spark reflection and reverence for the intricate and diverse frequencies that shape existence.
Sarrah Dibble-Camburn
As a seeker of truths—both for reality and for the soul— I create art that is deeply intertwined with my spiritual journey. Inspired by works such as Richard Rudd's Gene Keys and Sara Landon's channeling of The Council, their creative process is a continuous exploration of self and the universe. Each discovery along the way opens new paths, guiding the evolution of both their spirit and their artwork. Their pieces serve as a visual manifestation of this ever-deepening connection, flowing in parallel with my own growth. Through it all, the ultimate Creator guides my hand, helping to reveal the hidden truths of existence and invite others on a shared journey of discovery.
Verum Ultimum's theme of Abstract Catalyst 10 resonated deeply with me—it aligned perfectly with my love for abstract art and the unique ways it allows for self-expression and connection. The gallery, located in Portland, Oregon, holds a special place in my heart as my best friend lives near there, making it all the more meaningful to be part of this exhibit. It’s been a fulfilling experience to be part of. I am grateful.
Jinsun Kim
My work visually explores how humans adapt, become alienated, and seek reconnection within the urban environment. By juxtaposing industrial materials like concrete, metal, and glass with natural elements, I express the tension and healing processes experienced by individuals in the city. Through this exploration, I aim to reinterpret the relationship between humans and the urban landscape and propose the possibility of coexistence and restoration.
Jane Corich
