Based in Lafayette, Louisiana, Kathy Mere paints her subjects intuitively. Her work, whether purely abstract or figurative, bears the aura of reality; she translates her figures into spiritual portraits, her landscapes into metaphysical representations of each place, her still lifes anything but still. A self-described optimist, she paints with the intention of transferring the joy she feels in her subjective experiences to whoever brings her work home. Uncomplicated collage finds its way into some of Mere’s paintings, mostly by way of postage stamps. The stamps represent all kinds of meaning – they’re symbolic of both physical and metaphorical travel, and for the artist they represent communication and interconnectedness. Mere’s paintings often glean inspiration from the pulsing drums and dancing of Native American powwows, informed by her relationships with members of Louisiana tribes. Her multimedia canvases are collected both locally and throughout the U.S. Mere shows work with Basin Arts, Sans Souci Fine Crafts Gallery, NUNU Arts & Culture Collective, and the Lafayette Art Association; she currently keeps an open studio and gallery space at Basin Arts in Lafayette, Louisiana.
