Cathy R. Foreman at The Oxford International Art Fair

Cathy R. Foreman (1972 – Raleigh, North Carolina)

Nicolette Grenier

Cathy is not, nor does she proclaim to be, a music connoisseur but what she will say is she appreciates a good groove and if it offers up a funky bass-line, then all the better. It is that very groove that guides her along in the process by which she creates her Art.

At the base of each piece of Art is her photography. More than 95% of the work she has showcased, on the varied platforms, has all been from photographs she has captured. What about the others, you say? Well, believe it or not, on occasion she is so moved and inspired by a performance, words or interview, where she sometimes captures a screenshot from her television and proceeds to turn that into a piece of Art.

In 2011, an unclaimed camera set Cathy on this path. From that, she created Reflections by Cathy Foreman and hasn’t looked back. Currently a resident of Raleigh, NC, by way of Tillery, NC, Cathy has carved out her own space in which she now comfortably sits – but it didn’t happen overnight. In what she says seems like a long and arduous road, she started simply by shooting small get togethers with her girlfriends and high school classmates. After that, she started going on “shoot-abouts” and capturing all she could. In 2012, a connection to a local non-profit focused her talents as she slowly integrated texture into her work. She was cautious as she was unsure how it would be accepted, but in 2014, she realized she has always beat to a different drum, and she firmly planted her feet in what she now calls “Photography to Art”.

Through music, Cathy has found that the animation of the artists, affords her a unique opportunity to interpret their performance and energy, it has helped to mold her creative style. Once she narrowed the area of which she wanted to concentrate, she delved further into the manipulation of the photograph thus creating works of Art.

Today, Cathy primarily photographs live music events, but she continues to hone her craft by staying true to her grassroots and doing shoot-abouts in whichever city or town she happens to be. Her heart lies with creating art and it is those artistic pieces you will often see.

[c]Reflections by Cathy Foreman

Q&A

What is your definition of art…?

I think my definition of Art is simple in as much as my belief that Art moves you. I believe it speaks to you …it causes a stir within you whether it be inspiring, causing you to question things about the work or you genuinely deriving satisfaction by settling into your own understanding of it.

Now, when I say Art, by no means am I limiting that term to paintings, drawings or other mediums of the like; when I say Art, I include all forms from Music to Poetry to Photography to Dance, etc. To me, Art is such a small word that covers a comprehensive spectrum. Think of like wine, a good wine is full-bodied with legs. With these varied forms of art, you are subject to a full body of emotion that can render you breathless.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Based on my current body of work, I think one would say I find inspiration in music. While I may tend to agree, I can also tell you that while immense, it is not the sole source. It is not that one specific thing that inspires me. It is however, all relative to the moment in which I am inspired.

With Musicians, I see them as animators; they are contortionists bending their bodies, stretching their vocal chords and their faces … oh my, their faces! Have you ever really paid attention to how elastic their faces are? If not, you should. It’s mesmerizing and I love how they perform – it’s almost as if they give a piece of themselves to me. It makes my job easy. While with other artists, it could be as simple as my being caught in the moment in which they are speaking or performing. And if it moves me, then it inspires me.

I know my artwork is finished when…?

Lol… when it’s done. I know it sounds sort of like a smart aleck response but it is the truth. I know when a piece is done, when it’s done.

Natasha Wiley

Greatest achievements so far…?

Being perfectly honest, I would have to say just being comfortable in a style that I have somehow created. For a long time, I was worried about people understanding and liking the work… humph, who am I kidding, I was mostly worried if they would like it and by extension me. With the solicited and unsolicited advice of some friends, I was able to figure out something that I already knew, not everyone is going to accept or like everything you do but you have to do what makes you feel good. And that is exactly what I have done.

What makes your art different than others…?

I use three words to describe what I do … “Photography to Art” and that is as simple and as descriptive as it gets. In the work, I take a photograph, mostly work that has been captured by me, and create a piece of Art. How is it different? Well, the primary thing is that at the base of each piece of Artwork is a photograph. Secondly, the pieces are created from the memory and feeling of the performance the artist gave.