Kat Ring picks pieces that help her keep her cool.
“Cool and textural — that’s why I chose these paintings,” she says as we begin to discuss three pieces in her collection. Ring spends most of her time at home in Zambia, where the wildlife is fascinating but the weather is hot.
Point Lobos plein air painting, by Paul Kratter. Collection of Kat Ring
The first piece Ring chose was Dan Young’s plein air piece from Colorado. “I studied with Dan in Gold Canyon, Arizona, through the Scottsdale Artists’ School,” she says. “I bought this 8”-x-10” piece from Dan because of the colors and textures. Look closely just to the right of the bush and you will see nifty streaks of bright orange in the blue. Where I live, it is hot most of the year — very often over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Looking at this painting cools me down.”
Yalta Harbor plein air painting, by Daniil Volkov. Collection of Kat Ring
The next piece is a plein air painting done in Monterey, California, by Paul Kratter. “At the 2014 Plein Air Convention, I found myself painting next to Paul at Point Lobos,” says Ring. “I absolutely loved the subtlety and atmosphere that he achieved in this small study. It’s yet another painting that helps lower my temperature. It says to me, ‘fog, moisture, California central coast.’ Ahhhhhh.”
“Sparkling Zebra,” by Kat Ring, oil, 8 x 10 in. Collection the artist
The final painting is by Daniil Volkov, and it depicts the Yalta Harbor in the Ukraine. “I have three of Daniil’s Yalta paintings,” says Ring. “He is a painter’s painter. I think he has more paintings in other artists’ collections than in non-artists! Look at the texture and the juicy palette knife work. What amazes me about this work is how he made that huge chunk of gray wall look so beautiful. It’s the chromatic grays and the temperature shifts. Another cool painting!”
