Catherine O’Donnell

Born 1961, Quirindi, NSW
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Graduation show: 2005
Graduation ceremony: 2006

Artwork in Space YZ

A&W Series #4, 2005
Charcoal on paper
127 x 116 cm (framed)

A&W Series #4 was produced as part of a larger body of work started in my final year at UWS. The suite of nine drawings in total were drawn from Albright and Wilson, a chemical manufacturer in western Sydney that still operates today. In this drawing, as with so many others at that time, it was the elusive quality of light that fascinated me. Light cast upon familiar forms, solitary and motionless, nestled within the darkness giving sombre and evocative images that merge into a whole.

University was a new and exciting experience for me back then. I had to balance bringing up a young family and the demands of university, but I never missed a day. I loved being on campus with friends and being creative, however, there were times when it was challenging and frustrating as well. I remember very early in the course receiving my first critical theory essay question and I couldn’t even understand the question, so how on earth was I going to answer it. But I did and I went on to graduate in 2005.

Learn more about Catherine by visiting her website.