Catherine Hettler
Dog Archetype (2021)
My work explores the unconscious and the dreamscape, bringing to life the intangible but enchanting figures in the nooks and crevices of our minds. They are our childhood imaginary friends, comforting bedtime story companions, and misunderstood monsters. My pieces aren't constrained to a single medium; the recurring characters evolve and transform through different iterations that flesh out a broken narrative--one that leaves the observer to fill in the gaps, to create their own enticing tale. Each hand-sewn sculpture is an invitation to the delights of mystery. Each drawing an exploration of haunting innocence. Each painting study of the familiar ethereal. My characters are guides that serve as a bridge between the child and the adult, between the sleeping and the waking self. They ask you to suspend your disbelief and take their hand as our meets theirs.
