Artist Statement

I develop my paintings and works on paper in an intuitive, materials-driven process which I believe is in sync with the organic evolution of diverse life on earth. I am intrigued with both the physical and mystical concepts of the primordial and elemental forces which keep all matter in a continual state of transformation, and by which I intuitively evolve my imagery as my material choices influence the flow and shift of my work. I integrate materials from nature plus objects from industrial processes with traditional art materials for the sheer pleasure of working with both the physical sensuality and the metaphysical vibratory spirit that is inherent in all matter, and I invite the viewer to join in this mercurial experience with me as well. I work in multiple series at a time with each series in a separate medium such as painting, drawing, collage, and printmaking.

I work with my hands and all manner of tools to blend ground semi-precious stones into layers of oil glazes over aluminum discs, coax ashes into scorched first aid gauze and tape, and lay delicate 24K gold leaf over raised patterns of gel acrylic to create a sense of harmony within each work that is fluid and complex. I use my breath to imbed into wet paint the ancient healing tantric frequencies I learned from years of study with Tibetan lamas, and I draw secret mystical words and alchemical symbols into the under layers of paintings. For over thirty years after multiple near-death experiences, I’ve worked as a master-level energy healer with extreme sensitivity to both the subtle and dynamic energies and forces that form us, and which continually informs my visual art as well. As a lifelong fine artist, I’ve drawn from classic literature and art history, alchemy and modern science, and indigenous and ancient cultural perspectives from around the world to develop my own visual language and iconography to express the ineffable— that which is beyond words but is felt and understood in a visceral way.

Bio

Kathleen Trestka is a mature artist who works in oil and mixed media painting and works on paper in the tri-state area of Connecticut. After her early adult years as a successful self-taught artist, Trestka attended Greenfield Community College and then transferred to Smith College as a non-traditional aged student. As the granddaughter of immigrants who fled political persecution, she is the first in her family to attend college and graduated from Smith with a BA, summa cum laude, Fine Art and Phi Beta Kappa in 1995. She has continued her studies at the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, Ligmincha International, and literary conferences. Her work has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and nonprofit spaces for over thirty years and is in private collections. Her art was recently selected by Guggenheim Museum Curator Ramsay Kolber to exhibit at Bendheim Gallery in Greenwich, CT and previously by the Metropolitan Museum of Art Curator Brinda Kumar to exhibit at Bendheim Gallery. She has shown in Paula Barr New York, Manhattan Arts International, and Studio 609 in Chelsea, NY,  The Art Complex Museum and Snug Harbor Gallery in Duxbury, MA, Four Eleven Gallery and Provincetown Art Museum in Provincetown, MA, Smith College Art Museum Symposium, Hosmer Gallery and Hillyer Gallery in Northampton, MA, Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, MA, Russell Gallery in Plymouth, MA, Taber Art Gallery and Canal Gallery in Holyoke, MA, Grubbs Gallery, Easthampton City Art, and New City Art in Easthampton, MA, Windham Art Gallery in Brattleboro, VT, and in other galleries, juried exhibitions, and nonprofit spaces.

Smith College selected Kathleen Trestka to mentor a fine art student on a Praxis Grant internship to assist her in preparation for an upcoming museum exhibition. Trestka has been awarded numerous residency grants including a six-week solo artist-in-residence at the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, MA. She later returned to develop a youth community outreach program on an MCC grant based on the museum’s permanent collection and curated numerous exhibitions from the project. Trestka has been art editor and writer for Pearson Evaluation Systems where she co-wrote art teacher certification tests for several states including New York, and was both a guest art and poetry editor for the international journal Naugatuck Review. Her work has been featured on WGBB Springfield News Center 40, on “The Artist Hour” on Boston-area PAC/TV Channel 40, and in an Allston Street Production Independent film. Her art has been on the covers of The Current, Journal of Art and Politics and Naugatuck Review and included in the anthology “Textured Lives, Anthology of Women Artists and Writers.”

Kathleen Trestka has recently retired from many years as a freelance art critic, curator, and educator, and as a master-level energy healing therapist in wellness centers, hospitals, and private practice to focus full-time on her art. She welcomes both virtual and in person studio visits by appointment.

CV available on request