Katherine Labbe

I have been a self-taught, mixed media artist for over ten years. I have never taken an art class, except when I was in grade school, and twice online. I started selling my work online in 1999. I have had success selling handmade books, greeting cards, collages, and other handmade items. Gradually, my style changed, and last year I decided I would stop making books. My heart wasn’t in it anymore. I didn’t like spending my time cutting paper, making book covers, sewing or gluing. I knew I was ready to make a change, but what would I do? At first, I flopped around, not knowing what to do with myself. All I knew is I didn’t want to make books anymore. Then, I started to put paintbrush to canvas (Feb 2009), and haven’t looked back since. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but never quite dared. Slowly, I began to have more confidence, and although I realize I still need lots of practice, I really like some of the paintings I’ve made. I also have a great love for photography. I like to mess around in Photoshop. I like to create illusions. A mixture of what is real, and not real at the same time. Mostly, I like to make a scene look the way I’d like it to, but it doesn’t. So, I try to make it appear the way it does within my mind’s eye. I’m always re-inventing myself and my work. If I don’t like a direction I’m going, I change it. That’s why my website is always a mess. I change it a lot. I’m not afraid of starting over and doing something new.