Caitlin Connolly is a painter and creative enthusiast. She received a BFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of Utah and currently lives with her husband in Utah.
You once said, “I don’t think of myself as a religious painter, but I do strive to be a spiritual painter.” Explain. “Spiritual painting”, for me, is thrilling because it has so much to do with exploring and creating the unknown. Art often becomes my medium for exploring purpose in life and moments of truth. I experience truth in so many ways – human relationships, nature, music, words, art, conversation, introspection, and through religion too. Religious painting, in my mind, might have more to do with translating already existing narratives or answered questions into a visual experience. Spiritual painting gives me the freedom to discover new things, create new stories, and suggest new truth. Striving to be a spiritual painter is very challenging to me because there is always more to learn and a never-ending amount of truth that needs to be shared.
Tell us about your Internet nom de plume ‘LadyHue’. One of my first creative projects a number of years back was starting a blog called Hue and Hum about the early creative pursuits of my art and my musician husband. It’s no longer published, but it was a fun first step in my creative journey. It allowed me to share images of paintings I was making with an audience and it also gave me the unexpected opportunity to learn how to write using my voice. It was a very fun and exciting project where I was able to challenge myself, laugh, share, and grow. My online name, ladyhue, followed suit from this project, and acts as a bridge connecting me from where I began to where I am now.
You have said you like to explore ‘the feminine experience’. Do you feel like you are understanding yourself more through your art? I have learned a great deal about myself, but feel as though I’m still only scratching the surface. I have a hard time understanding myself, I get lost in my head easily and find it difficult to separate truth from fiction, imagination and reality. I think I need a practice like painting, which is slow and patient, to give me a longer amount of time and meditation on a specific subject. I’m still not sure if that’s a woman thing or a me thing and I don’t know how much I am like them or they are like me. So I guess I haven’t figured it all out yet.
What are you working on next? There are a number of paintings that have been begging to be painted–I am working on those. Also, I’ve spent the last few months writing, which has been a new fun project. I’ve been writing for years now, but only for myself, not for anyone else. Recently there were a number of stories that came to mind that I’ve been spending nearly all my time trying to capture them and turn them into words. I’m not sure what they’ll become yet, short stories or a novel or simply imaginary fun, but I am excited to find out.
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