It's not the first time that on our blogs we share the Latino talents that have arrived to New Zealand and today is no exception. We had a coffee with the talented colombian ceramicist and educator, Catherine Guevara, who shared with us some of her story, how she arrived to Aotearoa, the products she miss the most from her homeland and her amazing project 'CfromCat'!
Who is Cath Guevara?
Catherine is a Colombian visual artist based in Auckland. Born in Bogota from a ”paisa” mother and a ”llanero” father. She has a mix between the beautiful grasslands of her country and the majestic Andean mountains of its landscapes, though, she can't deny her deep love for the always vibrant Bogota where she was raised.
5 years ago Cat moved to Aotearoa to deepen her practice by further understanding the relationship between Latin American and Pacific cultures. She has developed solo and group exhibitions in her home country as well as in Aotearoa.
She developed and designed workshops, educational publications, art exhibitions and activities with the Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, the Consulate of Colombia in Auckland, Aotearoa Latin American Community Inc - ALAC, Studio One Toi Tū, Depot Art Space, Auckland Council and Sur-Collective which she is a member of.
She's passionate about exploring with clay and creating with kids! Currently, Cat is teaching at The Clay Centre, Auckland Studio Potters and at her home studio in Ellerslie.
What is CfromCat and When Was It Founded?
CfromCat is a ceramic home studio based in Tāmaki Makarau owned and founded by Cath, where she creates her ceramic pieces inspired by mesoamerican ceramics and pre-Hispanic vessels from a contemporary perspective.
CfromCat's Latest Collection: Indigo
Cfromcat examines the process of ceramic-making, imbuing layers of clay with memory and history. Often collaborative and experimental, Cat activates these vessels as meaning-making and storytelling tools. The results challenge our assumptions about the medium while enduring as deeply sensory objects.
The ceramic home studio was born in 2020 from the urge of storing all the clay-making findings from the last 7 years of exploration and with a deep desire to keep creating, finding, sharing and transforming empty spaces, shapes and objects into experiences, conversations, learning and ceramic objects.
What Latino Foods Product Does Cath Like the Most?
Cath shared with us the product that she always have on her pantry:
"Definitely the Juan Valdez Sierra Nevada single origin whole bean coffee is something we always have in the pantry. It's been amazing to be surrounded by the kiwi culture and admire their strong relationship with coffee. My partner, his family and I love this strong coffee, cacao smell and that also the story behind each coffee bean produced by indigenous people. This product shares a deep connection with the highest coastal mountain in the world and its multiple ecosystems"
She also let us know that it was that kind of landscape what inspired her latest collection.
"I was inspired by its jungle, forest, paramo and sea for my latest collection called Indigo. Ocean blue ceramic cups, with white natural colour of the clay and prehispanic line drawings".
Special Invitation from Cath!
Divagations of Reverie, an exhibition inspired by Latin American surrealism and magical realism, invites you to lose yourself in a world of fantasy and magical realities.
Drawing on the idea that Latin America is a land of extremes, where history and geography blend with the mystical, this exhibition offers you an unhurried exploration. Wander through daydreams and let your imagination soar.
Organized by Sur-Collective: A collective of migrants from the South seeking to create their own space in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Divagations of Reverie
April 19th to May 17th
Monday to Friday, 7 am to 2:30 pm
8 Drake Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland
This exhibition will open a space to create encounters, conversations and workshops as the beginning of a new line of research about the parallels between migrants, indigenous experiences and traditions in claymaking.
CfromCat Contact Information
The talented Cath and her art are waiting for you. Just grab a ball of clay and see what happens! You can find Cath here:
To see Cath's latest ceramic pieces and educational resources follow @CfromCat on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfromcat/
To know about the ceramics community in New Zealand follow @CfromCat on Facebook: https://facebook.com/CfromCat/
To enquire about a private ceramic-making experience send an email to: cfromcatnz@gmail.com
To know about our community projects with @Sur.Collective check: https://surcollectivenz.wixsite.com/sur-collective
See you in the studio!
To collab or offer sponsorship for the community projects coming up send a DM to: https://www.facebook.com/surcollectivenz
Thanks for Reading! :D
Latino Foods Team
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