Katina Pastis Radwanski

Art has been my passion since I was a child and my head is full of images waiting to be expressed in painting and sculpture.

I was first artistically inspired by my mother who loved drawing, painting, dressmaking and needlework.  I stayed by her side, enthusiastically absorbing each demonstrated technique.  I soaked up the lessons of my art teachers and sought out books to supplement what I learned at school.  I earned an undergrad and graduate degree in art and became an art teacher myself.

In the past I enjoyed working traditionally… representationally, sketching and painting what was in front of me. I felt a need to work differently… more from within. My images now come through sketching in a meditative way. I lightly move my pencil on the page until an intriguing image appears.  I find the visual expression of subliminal thought both compelling and rewarding.

My painting medium is acrylic and steel is my primary choice of material for my three dimensional pieces.  The process of switching back and forth from sculpture to painting, for me, is both energizing and balancing.

By nature, I am an “observer” and “questioner” seeking an understanding of human beings … observing them as individuals and their behavior in groups.  My paintings and sculptures reflect these observations and inquiries.  My pieces are characteristically organic, colorful and sometimes surreal in appearance.

At the heart of what I choose to paint or fabricate is my interest in human relationships … humans relating to their inner thoughts, to one another, to their environments, and to the world at large.