I was born and grew up on a large farm near Ponteland, in the North of England, surrounded by farm animals, wildlife and open spaces!

I emigrated in 1981, Life got busy with finishing school, work, then marriage and children. We moved to Greenmount, west of Mackay ,near to my husband’s home town, to give our girls a lovely rural upbringing with lots of animals, horses and open space . In 2009 I decided to rekindle my passion for art I studied at Mackay TAFE for a couple of years part time and loved it, being around like minded people and sharing ideas and techniques it was a great time in my life .I reached certificate IV in Visual Arts and I now attend workshops held by accomplished artists throughout each year so I can continue to learn new and exciting ways of being creative.
I love to paint animals; I try to capture their beautiful spirit and energy within the image.  I like to use texture in my work to help create the movement and drama or magic of the moment. I work in many different mediums – pencil, acrylic, inks, mixed media and oil paints. I find art very rewarding; it is challenging and can be very frustrating at times but the more I do the more inspired I become.

The possibilities are endless with art!

Solo Exhibitions

2010 ‘Wildlife’ 1st Sept-3rd Oct, Botanic Gardens, Mackay
2019 "Capturing Movement, Spirit, Emotion" Milton House Gallery, Mackay

Exhibitions

2010 -2014
Sarina Art extravaganza
Art on Show, Mackay
Artist & Art, Mackay Art Society

2015
Art on Show, Mackay
Artist & Art, Mackay Art Society
Paxton Portraiture

2016
Art on Show, Mackay
Artist & Art, Mackay Art Society
Paxton Portraiture
CQU Creates Touring Exhibition
Moura Coal & Country Festival
Toowoomba Grammar School Art Show
Downlands College Art Show
Aspects Art Show,Goondiwindi

Fiji Greenhouse Exhibition

2017
Art on Show, Mackay
Artist & Art, Mackay Art Society
Paxton Portraiture
CQU Creates Touring Exhibition
Toowoomba Grammar School Art Show
Downlands College Art Show
Aspects Art Show,Goondiwindi

2018
Art on Show, Mackay
Artist & Art, Mackay Art Society
Paxton Portraiture
CQU Creates Touring Exhibition
Toowoomba Grammar School Art Show
Downlands College Art Show
Aspects Art Show, Goondiwindi
Facets of Fairholme, Toowoomba
Blackall Annual Art Exhibition
Goondiwindi Polo Tournament @ Outback Creative Exhibit
Beef Week 2018 @ Dowden Group Display & Meldon Park Simmental display.

2019
Art on Show, Mackay
Artist & Art, Mackay Art Society
International polo Event, Sydney
CQU Creates Touring Exhibition
Solo Exhibition, Milton House Gallery
Facets of Fairholme, Toowoomba
Outback Creative Pop-Up Gallery, Toowoomba
Goondiwindi Polo Tournament @ Outback Creative Exhibit

Local Artist Exhibition,2019, Milton House Art Gallery 

2020

Gallery 631, Bowen Hills, Brisbane

Lethbridge 20000 Small Arts Awards, Paddington, Brisbane

CQU Creates, Online Exhibition.

Awards

2011 - ‘Proud’ -Highly Commended - Open section at Artist & Art, Mackay Art Society.
2013 - ‘The Bond’- Commended - open section at Sarina Art Extravaganza.
2014 - ‘Tribute to a Local Legend’ - 1st Prize – Portraiture section at Sarina Art Extravaganza.
2015 - ‘Draft’ - 1st in People’s Choice Award-Art on Show at Mackay Show.
2015 - ‘Sterling’ - 2nd in People’s Choice Award - Art on Show at Mackay show.
2015 - ‘In the Shallows’ - Commended-Acrylic section - Artist & Art at Mackay Art Society.
2016 - 'Head-On' - 2nd in People's Choice Award - Art on Show at Mackay Show.
Society.
2017 - 'Zen's Gaze II' - 1st Prize, People's Choice Award, Art on Show, Mackay Show
2017 – ’Angel Play’ – Highly Commended, Open section, Artist & Art at Mackay Art Show.
2018 - 'Boulonnais Beau'- Highly Commended, Oil Section, Artist & Art Show, Mackay
2018 - 'You are the Yin to my Yang'-Highly Commended, Artist & Art Show, Mackay

2019 - ‘The Burrawarra Bond’-People’s Choice Award, Art on Show, Mackay

2019 - ‘RAW Cunning’- 1^st Prize, Oil Section, Artist & Art at Mackay Art Society

2019 – ‘Raw Cunning’ – Best in Show, Artist & Art Show at Mackay Art Society

2020 – Finalist in the Lethbridge 20000 Small Art Awards

Current Gallery Representation

Milton House Gallery, Milton street, Mackay.

Gallery 6 31, Bowen Hills, Brisbane.

Artist Collective Caneland, Caneland Central Shopping centre, Mackay.

Online Gallery-Outback Creatives Inc -Outbackcreative.com.au

Online Gallery- Buy Art Now- Buyartnow.com.au

                                                                       Catherine Clark Dowden CV

Study

Study 2009-2010 - At Mackay TAFE: gained Certificate IV in Visual Arts.

Workshops attended

2010 -2015

Leonie Woods - life drawing
Keith Dewell   - drawing
Rosemary Payne - watercolour
Jenni Kelly - acrylics
Maxine Thompson - animals in pastels

Lynnie Hutchins - experimenting with inks
Maxine Thompson - portraiture in pastels
Life Drawing   - once a week at Paxton's building, Mackay

Di Skelly Heron - acrylic, inner muse
Bill Hancock   - creating dimension
Susan Riley Gee - acrylic and ink
Elvena Bycroft   - exploring pastels
Joyce Bichel -  beginners oils
John Wilson  -  landscape oils
Kelly Borsheim  -  sight size technique

Rosemary Payne – mixed media

2016 -2019

Don Waters - his layering techniques

Sue Riley Gee – 2-day workshop -oils landscapes

Lyn Diefenbach -3-day portraiture oil painting workshop
Penelope gilbert-ng – 2-day pen & ink wash, watercolour plein air study workshop.

Barry & Lucy McCann - 3-day acrylic workshop
Kathy Ellem - 5-day oil painting workshop

2020

Kathy Ellem -online workshops 2 x week -3 months

Andrew Tischler- Milford Sound & Kimberley teaching videos

Membership

Flying Arts Accredited Member

NAVA

Mackay Art Society