My painting, Katharine (2017), is a tribute to legendary actress. Katharine Hepburn was a woman who didn’t play by the rules. She has always inspired me with her tenacity and drive.
She was famously independent and not at all typical of the women of her generation. Although Katharine was briefly married in the 1920’s, she didn’t like the experience. For 26 years, she was in a relationship with married actor, Spencer Tracy.
Katharine was as famous for wearing pants, as she was for her acting. Yet, many of her films were complete flops.
In the 1930’s, the public turned against her. Despite this, she never gave up. Her hard work paid off and she won numerous awards.
Enthralling
She took home Best Actress at the Academy Awards four times. On the final occasion, she was 75 years of age when she won. At a time when many would have retired, Katharine was still going strong.
I wanted my painting, Katharine (2017), to capture some of the vitality she possessed. Before acting, she had been an avid golfer. She remained physically active her whole life and lived to be nearly 100 years old.
She was a private person and yet, much of her life took place in front a camera. By all accounts, Katharine was a tomboy who wore pants, rode a moped and eschewed makeup. But she could also do glamour so well.
As I had done with Lee (2017), I painted Katharine (2017) on a large canvas board. My painting was based on a black and white studio shot from the 1940s.
I was most drawn in by the intense and engaging expression in her eyes. In order to keep the focus on her face, I decided to keep my palette quite simple. I wanted to show not only her strength of character, but also her class and refinement. The result is painting that honours a truly exceptional woman.