Cati Van Milders is a multi media artist. After attaining her BFA in Illustration in 1987 at Parsons School of design, she worked as a studio assistant for Willem de Kooning and started her artistic career as a social expressionist. Sketchbook in hand, she incessantly drew people in public places, from which she later created paintings, collages and 3-dimensional pieces.
She has always been fascinated by the 99% of humanity that nobody sees, but everybody recognizes in themselves.
In 1989 she was commissioned to paint a 30 x 20 foot mural oil painting of Times Square with life-size sculptures of 1980s New Yorkers emerging from the painting in Antwerp, Belgium, which remains there today.
Starting in 2003 Cati shifted her attention to her internal world, searching inspiration from within. Through meditation and a therapeutic approach called hypno-introspection she let her impressions, tensions, and emotions express themselves with and through drawings, prints, collages and clay works. Her content became more visceral, abstract, and intuitive. For example, in her clay works, the tactile nature of the medium dictated the organic forms that emerged. This chapter of her work and life has informed the source of unconscious obstructed patterns, and how they can be therapeutically opened and unlocked through art and creative exploration.
Between 2016 and 2018, Cati’s life was interrupted by injuries and surgeries. She continued to use the creative expression as a means to go deeper and overcome the emotional, physical, and existential challenges her temporary physical impediment presented.
Through that experience, her work has become increasingly inspired by her spiritual quest. It has shifted from a self-focused exploration, to a more universal perspective—from the one to the all. Through meditations, her mandala-like paintings reflect the light and energy she feels when her mind is still and she feels spacious. The more recent landscape paintings intend to express and share that sense of space and oneness that the simple act of being in nature brings.
Cati is grateful to have her art as a means to be more present and aware to the beauty of life.
“When we tune our inner instrument, We are in harmony with the orchestra of the universe.” – Cati
Born: January 6, 1957, Turnhout, Belgium.
Education:
1984-1987: BFA at Parson School of Design.
1980-1982: Academie des beaux Arts, Paris, drawing and sculpture in the Ateliers of Cesar.
1976-1977: Ecole de Recherche Graphique, Academie de St.Luc, Bruxellles, Belgium
Professional experience:
1998-2001: Co-Founder: Ninbark International: Environmental art.
1994-1998: Developed Constant Change, Interior Design and restoration.
1987-1988: Studio assistant, Willem de Kooning.
1977-1978: Assistant, restoration of murals for public city projects with Paul de Gobert, Belgium
Solo exhibitions:
2005: Celadon Art Gallery, Watermill, New York.
2003: East Hampton Dental Associates, East Hampton, New York.
2002: Ashawagh Hall, East Hampton, New York.
1993: De Warrande Cultural Center, Turnhout, Belgium.
1992: Retrospective, Foundation Veranneman, Belgium.
Group exhibitions:
2021: East End collected curated by Paton Miller at the Southampton Art Center
2021: The Abstract show curated by Kimberly Goff at the Ezra Gallery of the Hamptons
2018: Amagansett Library
2018: Guild Hall.
2007: Fire, Earth, Air & Water, Prudential, Sag Harbor, New York.
2006: Hampton Road Gallery, Southampton, New York.
2006: Celadon Art Gallery, Watermill, New York
2004: Elain Benson Gallery & Sculpture Garden, New York.
2003: Clay for the Garden, Celadon Art Gallery, Watermill, New York.
2002: Artists in Clay, Celadon Art Gallery, Watermill, New York.
2001: Celadon Art Gallery, Watermill, New York.
2000: Terra and Fire, Red Barn Atelier, Southampton, New York.
1999: Here and Now, Sag Harbor, New York.
1999: Lafayette Art Association, Lafayette, Louisiana
1999: Equinox,”Dreams in Black and White”, 1770 House, Sag Harbor, New York.
1999: Ninbark International, Ashawagh Hall, Springs, New York.
1999: Ninbark International, IMAC, Huntington, New York.
1997: In The Works, Krzyewski Tractor Barn, Watermill, New York.
1988: Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, New York.
1986: Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, New York.
1985: Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, New York.
Permanent Installations:
1989-1990: Mural: oil, neon, polyester sculpture, 30 Feet x 20 Feet, Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, Wilrijk, Belgium.