I'm a big
Fat
Tuesday
Louisiana artist
who steeps my Viking bones
in magic
by stabbing together
rust bits
and fabric pieces
so I can stitch
charms that succuss
strong luck and protection.
Bio
In 2010 Kathryn Usher was recognized by UK art scholar Dr. Melissa Westbrook as one of the artists in the Neo-Outsider art movement. Westbrook wrote about Usher, "Actively seeking interaction through social media, Kathryn Usher is an artist and video-maker working and residing in Shreveport, Louisiana (USA). Influenced by popular culture, voodoo and politics, Kathryn creates pieces from traditional materials such as acrylics, objects (including bottles, toilet paper rolls and tea bags) and less tactile mediums such as digital art. The purpose of her art is to question not why, but rather why not."
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Usher found early inspiration in the writings of S.E. Hinton and Gertrude Chandler Warner and dance lessons.
As a young girl, Kathryn describes those rare summer nights she traveled with her father as he worked as a professional wrestler and referee. Spooky stories on the AM car radio entertained them as they went gliding through the night on the rural roads of Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. Her mother also mesmerized Kathryn with wild tales of her panther hunting grandfather.
For more bio click here.
For more bio click here.
Resume
Selected Group Exhibitions
2011
Presents,
Artspace, Shreveport, LA
Dia de
Los Muertos, Minicine? Swampland, Shreveport, LA
Texas
Avenue Midnight Special, Minicine? Swampland, Shreveport, LA
Look
But Don't Touch; East Bank Gallery, Bossier City LA
Impromptu,
Artspace, Shreveport, LA
2010
Xmas
Under da Ground, Minicine? Swampland, Shreveport LA
Green
Gifts, Noel Community Arts Program, Shreveport LA
Gumbo
Gala, Little Shanty Folk Art Gallery, Shreveport, LA
2009
Christmas
Tree Show, Barnwell Center, Shreveport, LA
Graffiti,
Artspace, Giftspace, Shreveport, LA
2008
The
Money Show, Artspace, Shreveport, LA
Perspectives,
Heritage Manor, Shreveport, LA,
2007
Highland Houses, Highland Jazz & Blues Festival, Shreveport, LA
Dia de Los Muertos, Jackrabbit Lounge, Shreveport, LA
2006
Deck
the Halls, Artspace, Shreveport LA
1997
Open
Studio Tour, Casa D' Arte, Shreveport, LA
Portraits
of OUR People: Collaboration with Willie Middlebrook, Deposit
Guaranty National Bank atrium, Shreveport, LA
The
Letter I Never Wrote, Downtown Neon Saturday Night, Shreveport, LA
Artport
Nine: A Song in My Art, Shreveport International Airport, Shreveport,
LA
1996
Clay
Works by the Pound, Downtown Neon Saturday Night, Shreveport, LA
Doors
and Windows, Downtown Neon Saturday Night, Shreveport, LA
Stringing
Me Along, Downtown Neon Saturday Night, Shreveport, LA
1995
Artport
Eight: Word Works, Shreveport International Airport, Shreveport, LA
Performance
1996
Family Planning: Your Choice
video, Louisiana State Medical Center, Shreveport, LA
1994
God as Female, Radio program
with Reverend Jayne Trammell-Kelly
Southern Feminist: An Interview with
Dr. Betty Brooks, Radio Program with Dr. Brooks
1993
The Writer in the Community, Radio program with Nadine Charity And Kathleen Smith
The Writer in the Community, Radio program with Nadine Charity And Kathleen Smith
Awards,
Honors
1997
Willie Middlebrook Project, National Endowment of the Arts,
Shreveport Regional Arts Council
Louisiana Decentralized Arts Funding (DAF) Grant,
VOA/Lighthouse/Amewa Artists, Shreveport, LA
1996
Louisiana Decentralized Arts Funding (DAF) Grant,
VOA/Lighthouse/Amewa Artists, Shreveport, LA
1995
Residency, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Shreveport Regional Arts
Council
1994
Residency, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Shreveport Regional Arts
Council
1993
Residency, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Shreveport Regional Arts
Council
1992
Residency, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Shreveport Regional Arts
Council
1992
Louisiana Roster Artist, Louisiana Division of the Arts
Selected
Collections and Commissions
2011
Sandi Kallenberg, LA
Melissa Albritton, LA
Judy Williams, LA
2010
Pam and Bob Atchison, LA
The Honorable Cedric Glover, Mayor
of the City of Shreveport, LA
Cover artist for the Louisiana Swamp
Stomp CD, a project of the Northern Louisiana Brain and Spinal
Cord Injury Foundation, LA
2007
Meadows Museum of Art, LA
2006
Penne Mobley, LA
Jodie
Glorioso, LA
1997
Shreveport Regional Arts
Council, LA
1995
Caddo Parish Registrar of
Voters, LA
Oak Terrace School, LA
Mary
Dark, LA
Publications
Texas
Avenue Midnight Special, Kathryn Usher, Nadine Charity and Debbie
Buchanan Engle, July 2011 - Present
Kathryn
Usher Art, June 2008 – Present
Red
River Blog Jam, November 2006 – November 2009
Crazy in
Shreveport, June 2006 – November 2009
Bibliography
Robert
Trudeau, “Art purchases for the holidays...,” Shreveport Blog,
November, 22, 2011
Staff
Reports, “New exhibit to open at artspace,” The Shreveport Times,
November 9, 2011
Michele
Marcotte, “Farmers Market draws large crowd,” The Shreveport
Times, June 4, 2011
Jeremy
Jones, “Green Art” NBC-affiliated KTAL, November 3, 2010
Ed
Walsh, “Villagio Art Walk,” ABC-affiliated KTBS, October 26, 2010
Henrietta
Wildsmith, “Photos of the Week,” The Shreveport Times, September
26, 2010
Sherry
P. Shepard, “Year of Art,” The Shreveport Times, August 24, 2010
Dr.
Melissa Westbrook, “Actively seeking interaction...,”
Neo-Outsiders.com, October 11, 2010
Sherry
Talley, “Interview with Kathryn Usher” ABC-affiliated KTBS, May
12, 2010
Robert
Trudeau, “Collect works by live artists...,” Shreveport Blog,
March 7, 2010
Alexandyr
Kent, “'Fun' video contest attracts voter 'abuse',” The
Shreveport Times, July 9, 2009
Prashant
Gopal, “Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods:...,” Businessweek.com,
September 23, 2008
Robert
Trudeau, “Shreveport's Highland neighborhood...work by Kathryn
Usher,” Shreveport Blog, November 7, 2007
Maggie
Martin, “Out and About,” The Shreveport Times, November 26, 2006
Lane
Crockett, “Photographer captures fabric of our community,”
October 23, 1997
Lane
Crockett, “Artist comes to town...,” The Shreveport Times,
October 1, 1997
Lane
Crockett, “Down Under showcases local art...,” The Shreveport
Times, May 5, 1996
Lane
Crockett, “Hands-on projects get bigger and better,” The
Shreveport Times, May 5, 1996
1 comments:
Just keep making your art. It's a wonderful tribute to your spirit and the connection and love of your surroundings and the folks you know. You are not a spectator honey, you're out there doing it. Your work will inspire others. You see the miracles happening everyday.
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