Catherine Jennifer creates uplifting, playful art on themes of connection, joy, awe and wonder.
Catherine studied Fine Art (Painting) at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, graduating with a first class pass for painting in 1999. In 2000 she moved to the UK, where she has worked ever since, as an artist and designer.
Catherine works in watercolour and mixed media, in a loose style, with a focus on mark-making. Catherine’s contemporary still life paintings combine loose watercolour, expressive mark-making, vibrant colour and playful pattern. Her original artworks are a celebration of energy and spontaneity. Catherine is continually exploring what the paint can do. She likes to contrast the soft blends of watercolour with the flat opaque qualities of gouache. She combines energetic, spontaneous line with unexpected texture. “I’m trying to delight and surprise myself so that when I look, I want to look again. I want everything NOT to be perfect. I want things to be a little bit wild, a little bit loose, a little bit unexpected”.
Catherine is a Top Teacher on Skillshare: her classes focus on creativity, drawing, painting and surface pattern design.
She teaches beginner and intermediate watercolour classes in Oxford, and runs an Art Club in Kennington. She also teaches at the Sunningwell School of Art. Catherine is passionate about helping people overcome their barriers so they can experience the joy of creativity.
Catherine is a mother of four boys, aged 16, 14, and 9-year-old twins. When not working or being a mum, you will find her running through the woods, or smashing a hockey ball on the pitch with the Abingdon Hockey club.
Exhibitions
2025 Kennington Authors’ and Artists’ Fair (Nov)
2025 Langford Arts Festival (June)
2025 Sussex Art Fair (May)
2024 Kennington Xmas Fair (Dec)
2024 Kennington Authors’ and Artists’ Fair (Nov)
2024 Bath Art Fair (Sept)
2024 Oxfordshire Artweeks - Exhibited with KFL Spice of Life Group in Summertown (May)
2024 OVADA Big 20 Exhibition (May)
2011 ‘Into the Woods’ – Solo Exhibition, The North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford
2010 ‘Paint’ – Beldam Gallery, Brunel University
2010 ‘Within 10 Miles’ – Vale & Downland Museum, Wantage
2010 ‘Open’ Exhibition - Oxford Art Society, Saïd Business School, Oxford
2008 ‘Gift’ – The Ideas Exchange (TIE), OVADA Gallery, Oxford
2007 ‘Residue’, OVADA Gallery, Oxford
2006 Solo exhibition, Nuffield Orthopoedic Centre, Oxford
2006 Oxfordshire Artweeks
1999 Michaelis School of Fine Art Graduate Show, Cape Town
Residencies
2007 OVADA Gallery, Oxford, 3 April to 11 May. Selected from open submission to be artist in residence along with two other artists. Residency culminated in a three-person exhibition at OVADA, entitled “Residue”.
Competitions, Awards & Qualifications
2016 ‘Kitchen Crazy’ design won third place in Moyo Magazine competition
2007 Winner of Adult section, The Blooming Great Art Competition, Abingdon Arts Festival
1998 Arts and Culture Trust Scholarship Award
1999 BA Fine Art (Painting), University of Cape Town, with “First” for Painting
1994 Matriculation Certificate (South African School Leaver Certificate) with “A” for Art.