Kathleen Gonzalez

My work consists of a series of paintings: August, Untitled, and All You Can Eat. To me, painting is about emulating specific memories or times I’ve experienced in my home city of Toronto with people I know. These different places within Toronto carry memories which tell stories based on the time I’ve spent there. My art both shares these experiences and reminds me of my path in life and how the most beautiful moments are unexpected. I first take the photos without the intention of painting them. They are exciting moments, or simply scenes I think are beautiful. I eventually combine photo and painting to realise a work. These photos were not taken with the intent of being painted. 

August was a photo I took this past summer while my friend visited from Victoria, British Columbia. When I took this photo, the contrast between the orange building and blue sky grabbed my attention. I removed the identity of each detail and painted them as colourful shapes, which formed together to create the suggestion of buildings and stores. This work made me fall in love with cityscapes. 

My Untitled work references a rainy day in April when I finished work early and went out with my friends. As we reached the top of a parking garage the rain stopped, giving way to the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen. The most important feature of this painting is the reflection of the sky on the wet roads. I wanted to evoke the sound of cars speeding down the rain-soaked highway to bring viewers into the moment and bring it back to life for myself. 

All You Can Eat is a work in progress referencing my walk to the subway station after work. One thing I love about the city is all the glowing signs against the night sky. I made sure to incorporate neon in my piece, as the signs speak to Toronto culture. The city is also a huge part of my life, therefore painting it is almost like painting a personal portrait. I grew up here and have walked these streets thousands of times. I would like to continue with my realistic approach to my work, which incorporates my personality between shaky lines and crooked letters. I hope my audience feels welcomed into my memories and can feel the stories I share with them.

Kathleen Gonzalez is a visual artist born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Primarily working in oil painting, Kathleen focuses on hyper-realistic images of her surroundings and moments in her life. Her work involves capturing public scenes, and ultimately transferring them onto a canvas. Each piece is inspired by a special memory, or a challenging moment which she believes deserves to be shared beyond the digital world. Kathleen will be graduating from the University of Toronto and Sheridan College with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in 2022. She has worked with companies like StickerYou, as well as Bold Engineering Inc. and continues to receive commissioned work from the public. Her work will be featured in the upcoming RAWArtists Toronto "GENERATE" showcase.