Catherine Redfern is perhaps best known as cartoonist, author, writer of silly things for Planet Bods, and for her chain of tea-cum-second hand book shops. But her prolific, yet short, career as an international artist is often overlooked.

My First Picture

It was whilst at university, studying History, that Catherine first put her electronic pen in touch with the electronic canvas. Her creation, My First Picture was received warmly, with The Liverpool Metro's art critic saying this:

The simple abstract boldness of the colours, coupled with the randomly placed spray effects, and just a hint of blurriness, make this one the undisputed classics of 1997. However, as I found out to my cost, it is not a good idea to view this picture after a heavy night down the boozer.

Do Put This On The Web Page

If the first piece didn't want to make you throw up, the second work was a lot tamer.

We asked Catherine about one of our faves, Do Put This On The Web Page.

Unfortunately Catherine refused to be drawn on the subject of this, perhaps her finest work, leaving critics only to wonder what it is all about. Is the crossed out letters "n't" in "Don't" a cynical stab at the whole cyber art movement? And the signatures? A subversive attempt to sign electronic work in the traditional painting style? Quite possibly.

I Dare You

Already feeling the strain of her new fame, Catherine created I Dare You - a piece bursting with anger. One reviewer on the now defunct website, artatastic.com knew just what the Cazmeistress was getting at...

From her latest work, it is blatantly clear that Catherine has had enough of the press attention surrounding her work. The bright, bold pink symbolises the anger inside her - the multicoloured spirals, again in the bright and bold colours that are often associated with her work, obviously symbolise the fumes of anger gushing out of every pore in her body.

Whether this is true or not, no one really managed to ascertain. One source was quoted saying that Catherine was in fact representing pain and anguish, rather than hate and anger. Which story is true, if any, may never be known.

Shortly after unveiling only this, her third piece, Catherine became reclusive and in February 1998, announced to a waiting press contingent outside her flat, that she was to cease to do any more web paintings. She would do just one more and that would be the end.

Dog

That final piece was the subtle and understated Dog.

Dog has become one of the great mysteries of our time - a modern day successor to the Mona Lisa. Millions of people view the picture every year, and wonder just what on earth Dog is smiling, maybe even smirking, at. Perhaps it is allowing itself a sly, maybe even evil smirk, laughing at us for what we do not know, nor understand.

Leaving us with an image so small, Catherine laid the final piece in the jigsaw that was her contribution to the art world. While she has stuck to her word and not created any more painting, web based or otherwise, she has continued to work in an other area of her passion - cartoons. Her subliminal Cartoon Guide To Student Durham was re-released to critical acclaim in June 2000.

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