Local artist Kate Ritchie’s first solo show,”Cosmic Visions,” is currently on view in Gallery 1056 at Redux Contemporary Art Center through October 30th.
The exhibit showcases 18 of her original artworks and was curated by fellow Redux studio artist Taylor Faulkner.
Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 11 am to 4 pm.
Cosmic Visions Artist Statement
Kate Ritchie began observing the stars through a telescope with her father in their backyard as a child. The vastness of the night sky filled her with excitement, awe, and curiosity. As her interest in astrology grew, she found deeper meaning within the constellations. The intricacies of the zodiac signs extend beyond the newspaper's weekly horoscopes. With historical documentation dating as far back as the 5th century BC, many ancient cultures integrated a form of astrology into their belief systems. The Babylonians observed the stars in correspondence to the seasonal movements of the sun, moon, and planets and correlated the twelve zodiac constellations with a season, symbol, figure, planet, and element.
In astrology, the zodiac constellations appear in a fixed ring across the night sky, much like a wheel turning on its axis. The symbol of the wheel occurs across many cultures and religions to represent the passage of time, Earth's natural cycles, an echo, a ripple, and ultimately The Universe itself. Cosmic Visions celebrates the idea that we are connected to a higher cosmic force that has a divine plan for us all. Ritchie combines printmaking, painting, and collage in this new series that explores the sense of wonder and mystery she feels while gazing up at the night sky.
Kate Ritchie Bio
Originally from Salisbury, NC, Kate Ritchie grew up on a horse farm lined with a creek and acres of woods. Kate was put in art classes from the time she was 5 years old where she made crafts in the ‘art room' in the loft of the barn on her family's property. She has been making art her whole life and enjoys learning and experimenting with new art techniques. While studying Studio Art at College of Charleston from 2010-2014, she decided to not have a focus and instead took art classes in every medium the college offered. She is now finding ways to combine these techniques to make new and unique pieces of artwork.
Kate Ritchie received a BA in Studio Art and Arts Management at the College of Charleston in 2014 and still resides in Charleston today. She can be found working in her studio at Redux Contemporary Art Studio most days.
