| Cathy Lamb was born in Salinas, California, and grew up in San Jose. Her earliest art influences were coloring in color books with her grandma and indulging in paint-by-number kits. She took her first art class as a young teenager, and went on to become a nursing major for three years of college. But art gave her the most excitement and joy, so she went on to pursue her Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from San Jose State University. Five years of freelance illustration in the Los Angeles area followed, working for a variety of clients in advertising and publishing. Then, during the years spent at home with young children, Lamb experimented with a number of art endeavors, but ultimately was drawn back to painting. In 1993 she took up her brushes again. Lamb works from life whenever she can. She tries to paint daily, working best at night when the distractions of the day are put to rest. "Painting offers new challenges every time I tackle a new work. I paint with the hope that the next painting will be my best painting so far," says Lamb.That one thing that captivates her varies with the individual painting. Often it is the light and shadow. Sometimes it is the simplicity of the subject or its particular composition. She is drawn to a variety of subjects, such as flowers, fruit, nests, sheep and chickens, to name a few; and she finds beauty in the simple, commonplace things she encounters in her daily life. Lamb has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions including the Bellevue Art Museum Fair in Bellevue, WA; Howard Mandville Gallery in Kirkland, WA; Richard James Galleries in Charleston, SC; and Germanton Gallery in Germanton, NC. |
