Cath Sheard

by Cath Sheard

It looked interesting right from the start; the chance to exhibit in Italy in a ‘Peace and Remembrance’ exhibition at Cassino. The organiser, ex-Pat Kiwi Kay de Lautour Scott was calling for expressions of interest from people with a connection to Cassino or WWII. Should I give it a go? I didn’t want to apply until I was sure it was the right thing to do, so I waited a few days – thinking hard during the day, dreaming of Dad, war and Italy at night. Yes, I was sure I wanted to be involved, so sent off my application and some photos of my artwork. The waiting began.

Then came the email “Congratulations, you have been accepted to exhibit in May 2010 in Italy”..  and so the journey started. But first, to go back a bit, what is my connection to Cassino or WWII? My father was in the Navy; he served in the Pacific and went to Germany; my best friend’s father was in the 5^th Field Ambulance and a POW, and her uncle is buried at Rimminy, Italy. The chance to honour these three men is an incredible opportunity, especially as the exhibition also focuses on world peace, something both our fathers cared deeply about. I have since learnt of a fourth person, a sponsor’s father, and am taking his story with me as well.

The four works I am creating are deeply personal; they commemorate Alan McLeod, Roy Lehndorf, Jack Robinson and my father Mansel Barker. My process references the multi-layered and partial nature of memory, just as the images and memories I’ve gathered about these people are partial and somewhat obscured by time.

Each work is on watercolour paper loosely washed with acrylics. Copies of photos and war documents are collaged on then washed over to obscure some of the detail, in the same way that time has dulled memory and obscured details. I then work over the top in acrylics, adding layers of paint to represent stories the men told, such as the particular light in the desert of Egypt.

From there I add abstracted symbols of war and peace; the abstraction references both artistic preference and the way in which old images have often lost detail with the passage of time. Finally I add hand written text which documents their lives following the war, a tribute to the life that peace brings. Even this text is somewhat hidden, just as much of what the men went through has always been hidden from their families.

One problem remains – I can’t afford to make the trip, but don’t want my works to go without me. Once in Italy, attending artists will be taken to the Cassino Cemetery and battle sites and will have the chance to meet local veterans – all in the hope of inspiring ongoing work on the theme. The exhibition is being jointly hosted by Kay de Lautour and Cassino Comune (City Council) in the Biblioteca Comunale or city library and starts with a Gala evening hosted by the Mayor of Cassino. It just sounds too good, too inspiring, to miss.

There has to be a way for me to get there … and I think I’ve found it: I’m selling ‘shares’ in my trip. For $35 shareholders get a share certificate, a hand collaged postcard mailed back from Cassino, a full colour newsletter of the trip after the event, and a 6” x 6” original artwork commemorating the trip by December 2010. I have sold more than 30 shares so far, and hope to at least double that number. If you are interested in learning more about the exhibition, have a WWII story to tell, or would like to buy a share in my trip, contact me on cathsheard@xtra.co.nz – I’d love to hear from you.

About Cath Sheard:
I live in South Taranaki, New Zealand and have been painting seriously for the last few years. I have an Advanced Diploma of Arts & Creativity (Honours) from The Learning Connexion and am a member of the New Zealand Art Guild. As Librarian for Patea and Waverley Library Plus, I have a deep love of words; this, coupled with my interest in people and the local surrounds, all inform my work. I work mainly in watercolour and acrylic, and in a variety of styles. Much of my work leans more toward abstraction – particularly of the local landscape from which I draw much of my energy and inspiration. My artwork can be found in galleries and exhibitions throughout New Zealand and in private collections worldwide, but primarily in New Zealand and the United States.
http://www.cathsheard.com/
PS: The artwork shown is not a finished work; it is a test piece made while exploring the theme and how I wanted to tackle it.

Patea Freezing Works – On the grid