Catherine Gerke

Cat Gerke is a Northern Rivers artist focused on contemporary still life painting. She paints from her home studio in Clunes New South Wales surrounded by some of the best produce farms, restaurants and cafes in the region. Her work is a celebration of friends, family and lovers coming together around food and creating memories.

Studying painting and drawing at the College of Fine Arts in the late 2000’s allowed Cat to develop her own painting style which blended realism with expressive application of paint on canvas. Within her paintings she focuses on contrasting colour palettes to create energy and flow throughout the work. She also focuses on negative space, directive lighting and pattern within her works to create balance and celebrate the joy and gift of great food.

Working within the interior design industry for the past 10 years allowed Cat to hone her understanding of art within design and how it plays a vital role in creating authenticity in interiors. Her works are painted with intimate thought of how they may be layered into a home and become a focal point of an interior design scheme.

Her latest collection of works painted for Van Rensburg Galleries, entitled “to gather// together” was conceived earlier this year when the restrictions from Covid were finally settling and things were beginning to normalise. After two years of restrictions, coming together with friends and family over a meal had become a celebration after all the time we had lost, locked away in our homes. Each painting in this collection celebrates the time we spend together, whether it’s a celebration or a simple pizza dinner on a Friday night. These are the moments where memories are made and memories are life.