November/December 2008 Cover Artist
Essence and Meaning

by Jody Katopothis

By nature, we are compelled to create. By design, we are imbued with imagination. From birth, we are gifted with vision. Through life, we are nourished by experience. It is through "making" that we evoke essence and meaning.

For me, painting is a tool through which visions and perceptions are intermingled with the spirit, given thoughtful definition, purposefully expressed and then shared.

In life's evolving and intimate cycles, there are constant starting points, reoccurring themes and infinite inspiration. Moved by color, the contours of nature and the intricate workings of the human experience, the seeds of my compositions begin. Once germinated, I work to create a structure with which to convey a sense of depth, place and spirit.

As a person who has studied art and music all my life, I am very passionate about the importance of nurturing creative expression in our children. I believe we all are born with a unique spark and in order to truly thrive, this spark requires loving cultivation. I am convinced that the future of our species depends on it.

Jody Katopothis, who created "All is Well" on the cover of New Connexion, lives in Portland and shows her work through the Portland Art Museum's Rental Sales Gallery. Her studio also is open by appointment. Visit www.jodykat.com.