CMU alumnus works to inspire budding artists
Some artists paint nature or portraits. Artist Katie Chickester Mester paints cattle.
The Central Michigan University alumni and Clare artist graduated with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in communication
Chickester's work is currently being displayed in downtown Mount Pleasant's Art Reach Morey Family Gallery.
“If I paint a hundred cows, cow 99 is going to look better than the fourth one,” Mester said. "I’m really fortunate I get to paint every day. It’s like living in a fairy tale getting to be an artist for a living.”
While at CMU, she studied 17th century Dutch and Flemish painters. This experience "really opened her eyes" to painting.
She applies her experience growing up on a farm, her art history courses and abstract art class to each painging. She said despite thinking her abstract art class had been boring while attending school, Mester learned how to take her traditional style and add an interesting twist.
“I would really encouraged the art history classes for art students. Students may think that they don’t really pertain to what they want to do, (but) you might be pleasantly surprised further down the road,” said Mester.
Different artists are celebrated at the Art Reach Morey Family Gallery as an oppurtunity to get "(artists) foots through the door."
“We exist to promote art in the mid-Michigan area to get artists a chance for artists to show off their work and create a living off of it,” said Kim Bigarb, the gallery coordinator.
With her work being displayed in the gallery, Mester hopes students will see her work and will be inspired as artists.
“Looking up close they can see some of my techniques and maybe besides reading about it, seeing it would help them as artists,” Mester said. "Hopefully it will inspire creativity to go try it themselves.”
If any artists would wish for some guidance or help in any way, Katie Chichester Mester can be reached at katiechichester@gmail.com.
