Union City artist Katharina Castiblanco Grammer creates sculptures using a unique combination of artistic tradition and Mother Nature. She starts with her base canvas, consisting these of pieces of found wood.
“I let the wood dictate the form,” said Grammer. “They have their own architecture and geometry, so I let it make the decision for me.”
A graduate of Parson University, Grammer received her degree in painting and drawing in 1984. Since the beginning, her work has been based on abstract interpretations of the world around her, mostly in the realm of nature and rhythm.
“I was doing very traditional canvases and drawings, basic tree shapes and the rhythm of trees,” said Grammer. Continuing with the themes of nature and rhythm, Grammer’s craft continued to develop and take on new directions, which led to her fascination with the actual creative process more than original concepts did. It was through explorations of process and materials that she began her series of wooden sculptures in 1991.
“It felt like a natural continuation of what my previous work was about,” said Grammer. “It’s very involved, and I really enjoy the whole process. [I] get lost in it.”
An earthy beginning
About 15 years ago, while visiting a friend on a Connecticut beach, Grammer discovered many pieces of wood that had been washed onto shore. Being an avid collector of found items that she at times incorporates into her work, Grammer started gathering the pieces hoping to use them in upcoming projects.
“[At first] I used the wood as a palate,” said Grammer. “I thought if I put the wood together into a flat surface, I could use it as a canvas.”
However, Grammer soon began to add shaped pieces of wood to the canvas, making the wood itself the actual image. The natural shapes of the wood began to interpret the direction of the piece, but continued to maintain the sense of rhythm or pattern she desired. Grammer has also applied the use of earth tone hues and rich sienna to enhance her pieces.
“I don’t carve the wood at all. It’s addition as opposed to subtraction,” said Grammer. “It’s definitely a combination of what it needs to be.”
Cultural symbols, shapes, and colors have all influenced the universal themes for her work. For example, the universal leaf shape she uses refers to many different types of things including the tribal shape of shields. That same shape has also been referred to as mandorla, which is the Italian word for almond and a term often appearing in art history. The mandorla has been utilized in early Christian Byzantine Art symbolizing glory when surrounding an entire figure of a religious entity. Grammer’s sculptures have ranged from five by six inches to about six feet tall.
“They have really run the gamut,” said Grammer. “It’s been a very slow gradual process. Along the way I also learned some carpentry skills.”
Hidden treasures
Most of Grammer’s found wooden treasures have come from along the banks of the Hudson River, which give her pieces a more local connection. Some of her favorite New Jersey rummaging spots have been the south end of Liberty State Park, just north of the Washington Bridge and down the Shore. Grammer’s interest in architecture ran from manmade to natural, and architecture emulates nature has also influenced her selections in regards to shapes and figures.
“I’m always going back to nature, going back to architecture, and these shapes and forms,” said Grammer. Grammer was recently featured at the Jersey City Museum’s monthly slideshow last October. She plans to begin on a new series of smaller-scale sculptures, and continues to work on a flat canvas. In addition to her sculptures, Grammer is also revisiting her paintings, which continue with themes in nature.
“The thing about my work is that even though I have been doing these sculptures, I still find myself going back to traditional painting and drawing,” said Grammer. “It’s what I need to do at the time.”