KATHARINA PROCH
KATHARINA PROCH
BIOGRAPHY
Born November 6, 1942 in Jülich, West Germany
Apprenticeship in haute couture at Hannel Reutter, Cologne, Germany
Studies in textile engineering at the University of Applied Sciences, Mönchengladbach, Germany
Designer for various fashion and mail-order companies in Germany and Switzerland
Naturalization in Switzerland 1986
Studies at the School of Design, Zurich, from 1986 to 1998 in the subjects: figure drawing, watercolor painting, printmaking techniques (woodcut, etching), free design
Teaching experience in watercolor painting and printing techniques since 1998
Solo and group exhibitions in Germany and abroad since 1989
former member of the group LIGNA
My interest in art began 34 years ago at the School of Design in Zurich (Switzerland) after my children no longer demanded so much of my time and my profession as a fashion designer provided me with the necessary drawing skills.
My current visual language developed from experience with various techniques, with constructive and realistic elements playing a significant role. My primary media are woodcut and watercolor. Both techniques, as different as they are, fascinate me, and I allow elements of each to flow into the other. Graphic design and composition influence my painting, just as the lightness of watercolors is reflected in woodcuts. Alongside these techniques, working with computers is becoming increasingly important. Initially, I created preliminary work for printmaking techniques using drawings with a mouse. Today, digital art has evolved into an independent form of creative expression and is on par with relief and intaglio printing.
I've found that the results are more satisfying when I approach a task more playfully and complete it without expecting it to succeed. This way, I surprise myself.
Digitally editing my work on the computer has given me new, unexpected possibilities for expression. It gives my spontaneity new space. This creativity and artistic activity is a fascinating force and an integral part of my life. It is both a balance and a driving force.
A painting should possess its own unique character. For this reason, the search for artistic expression, the exploration of formal language, and the feasibility of its realization are ongoing processes for me.
My work in printmaking and watercolor is constantly evolving. They influence each other and inspire me above all with their clear expression, which is inherent in both techniques.