ARTIST STATEMENT

If other worlds exist, how would you get to them? As an artist, I construct visual situations where certain conditions give rise to pathways that are typically invisible. Mysterious, leafless trees may stand as sentinels at the thresholds of lost worlds. Doorways might appear at twilight, or the shimmering surface of a pond may signal the presence of hidden, watery passages beyond. In some paintings, multiple worlds coexist with no discernible route from one to the other, creating a sense of disconnection and mystery. 

My recent work explores transitional spaces—sites where reality grows thin and portals to other dimensions may briefly reveal themselves. These landscapes sit at a crossroads, offering glimpses into the unknown and inviting the viewer to linger in the spaces between.

ARTIST BIO

Born just outside Pittsburgh, Rob Katkowski is a painter whose work explores the intersection of multiple worlds. He received his BFA in Painting from The Ohio State University in 1998 and earned his MFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2007.

Shortly after completing his graduate studies, he was accepted into the Brewhouse Distillery artist residency in Pittsburgh, where he later served as Co-lead from 2008 to 2011. His work has been exhibited in galleries and institutions throughout Pennsylvania, Washington, Alabama, Ohio, and Belgium, and is included in numerous private and corporate collections, including those of the Fairmont Hotel (Pittsburgh, PA), PNC Bank (Manhattan, NY and Pittsburgh, PA), and Erie Insurance (Erie, PA).

Now based in Seattle, Katkowski continues to paint and runs RK Splines, a small business specializing in handcrafted hardwood picture frames.