Living on an Island, surrounded by sea and salt, and rocky beaches has made its mark on Kathe Fraga an Artist who lives and paints on Bainbridge Island, Washington in a 100-year-old stone house by the sea. Kathe Fraga paints stories of romance and abundance and joy, you can see it in the way she nestles birds together on a leafy limb, and the way her vines are filled with plenty of red ripe cherries. She paints with an eye to the past, an eye to age old imagery and design. Each piece resembles an aged decorative fresco panel adorned with birds and flowers, vines and leaves in a modern Chinoiserie style. Her paintings “Kathe Fraga’s French Wallpaper Series” are inspired by the hand painted, time worn walls of grand old Parisian mansions. She loves color and pattern and the faded look and romance of vintage imagery. She loves the blue of the water and sky, and painting with the pinks of her garden is how she starts her perfect day. Kathe Fraga’s paintings are acrylic on frescoed canvas, finished with lacquer a style that was popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. One can feel the influence of the places she has lived; South America, France, England, Denmark, can clearly be felt. “Living on Bainbridge Island is one of the most magical places in the world,” states Fraga. The small island in the Pacific Northwest with its moody grey days, storms, and short stints of sun shine suit her inspiration for painting wonderfully. The crashing waves on the shore, misty rain lingering in the air, walks hunting for sea glass and treasures, while soaking up the salt air. Then coming back to her old stone home on the water to paint, is the perfect luxury beach life for this artist and her family.
Kathe Fraga is represented on Bainbridge Island by Roby King Galleries, in Seattle by Pacini Lubel Gallery, and on Whidbey Island by Museo. Her work can also be seen at Anne Irwin Fine Art, Atlanta. She is represented for publishing and licensing by Bentley Publishing Group.