Hi, I'm Cathy Mevik!
I've been creative my whole life, although it has not always been as easy for me to see. Growing up, I was hyper focused on my mother who struggled with her bipolar disorder, and that she tried to regulate with alcohol. At that time I didn't understand that she was sick. I was always worried about the alcohol because it made my life so uncertain. I became an expert at pushing my own feelings and needs aside, something I've kept doing have throughout my life. At a point not so long ago it was so bad that I didn't even know who I was as a person.
After my girls moved out of the house I had plenty of time on my hands, and since I loved drawing and painting as a kid, I signed up for a course. On one of the many courses I took, I met an art instructor who stood out amongst the others, because she kept encouraging me and giving me positive feedback. That feedback kept me from giving up.
During my learning process I was often frustrated, and I put myself down and I could only see my mistakes. At some point I realized I was afraid of being judged by others. I thought I would create great art if I copied other artists. Of course, I didn't realise that copying made me lack the honesty that I loved in their paintings. Of course my copies lacked the emotion theirs had..
The discoveries I made
I was introduced to abstract expressionism at Nydalen art school - a vocational school in Oslo. As soon as the teacher started talking about it, I just know that this was what I was born to paint. The only problem was that I struggled big time with perfectionism the fear of being judged. The three years I spent in art school had introduced me to many different artforms, but when I graduated I had no overview of what I had learned. I decided to find some kind of structure, and to close the gaps where my knowledge was lacking. I dove deep into color theory and fell in love with it. I learned about new tools that made it easier to find balance and unity in my paintings. I also learned many unwritten rules that I discovered most artists use to create a successful compositions.
Along the way, I got to know a lot about myself through my own art. I knew that I had to let go of the fear of failure. Eventually I started looking at my "flaws" as something unique and not just ugly mistakes. Thats when I understood what a big role perfectionism played in my life. I was so afraid of being judged that I couldn't even go to the store without make-up! That's when I realized that perfectionism had no place in my art or in my life! I could clearly how perfectionism had been a way for me to hide everything that was going on at home when I was a child. I ended up in therapy and eventually realized the effect childhood trauma still had on me.
"I've taken both Norwegian and foreign painting courses. Most course holders only show their way of paintin, and don't say anything about why they paint as they do. Cathy Mevik knows what she is doing and is able to transfer her expertise to her students."
- Hildegunn Sivertsen
"Cathy is very knowledgeable and skilled educator. It has been a pleasure to participate in her course. I've had many aha moments during the course and all the critques have been very rewarding. I've learned so much, thank you Cathy."
- Eila Väisänen
"This course has given me so much knowledge about color and composition. Cathy is an exellent teacher with great energy, honesty and good mood. This is a course where you are encouraged, no matter how well you paint. Participating in the zoom sessions is optional, but you will learn so much if you do. Cathy critiques your work during the live sessions and gives you feedback on what you should focus on until the next session. It's not intimidating at all! Highly recommended!"
- Marianne Kvelland
Who do I help?
I help artist that take their art seriously, but feel stuck, go from frustrated, insecure and unmotivated to skilled, focused and motivated artists with a clear plan to help them find their own voice, so they can paint freely and boldly with confidence, joy and expertise.