Katarzyna Kołtan

She graduated from the State Secondary School of Fine Arts (PLSP) in Koszalin and studied at the Higher School of Applied Arts in Poznań. Her choice of egg tempera is a deliberate one. According to the artist, the laborious and painstaking building up of a painting, with thousands of tiny brushstrokes made with a brush a millimetre in diameter, demands humility and gives time for inner reflection. Her works are held in numerous private collections in Poland and elsewhere in Europe (Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom). In May 2014 she took part in the 20/21 International Art Fair in London. Her painting, in a recognisable style, is a modern combination of Renaissance painting technique with contemporary symbolism and language of expression. At the very beginning of her artistic path, the painter chose egg-yolk tempera. It is an extremely demanding, laborious, even intricate process, yet one rewarded with wonderful final results. Tempera was most often chosen by artists until the 15th century, after which it was displaced by oil painting. It returned to favour in the 19th century. As Katarzyna Kołtan says, her work is a private homage to the work of the Masters: "Building a painting with this technique is a painstaking process. Tempera demands humility, but at the same time gives time for inner reflection," the painter points out. "Painting with this technique is capricious and full of technical pitfalls. Yet this is a trait that corresponds physically to the psychological profile of the women I portray," she emphasises. Importantly, in turning to one of the oldest methods of fixing an image, the artist decided to have full control over the entire creative process. She prepares the emulsion herself, in which, in keeping with the canon of Renaissance art, the binder is egg yolk. To this she adds loose pigments. "I do not buy ready-made paints. The quality of tempera prepared by hand is incomparable. After half a year, tempera can be gently rubbed with a soft cloth, which gives it a beautiful satin sheen, which is why I do not varnish my works. The tempera I use does not require it," stresses Katarzyna Kołtan. Tempera withstands the passage of time much better than commonly used oil paints or acrylics. The supports on which the paintings are made are also made by hand, specially to her order. The ground is likewise made by hand, specifically for tempera, in order to ensure the durability and beauty of the works. So much for technique. Equally important are the stories that Katarzyna Kołtan tells with its help: "It is difficult to talk about my own work, because my works are a record of emotions. Painting is a very intimate process. I prefer my paintings to "speak" for me, and after all, each person may hear a different story..."