Kathryn Altus - Water Work

Kathryn Altus’ Water Work turns outward to the vastness of the natural world, centering her work on seascapes and the shifting presence of water within the Pacific Northwest. Using this maritime landscape as a conceptual starting point, her abstract paintings evoke expansive oceans, tidal boundaries, and atmospheric horizons, distilled into minimalist forms and unexpected, contemporary color palettes. Working largely from memory, Altus captures the fluid transitions between water, land, and air, where coastlines dissolve and re- form, and where subtle traces of human presence emerge within these environments. The scale of her work establishes a quiet tension between human experience and the immensity of open water and sky. A recurring subject is the mouth of the Columbia River—long known as one of the most treacherous passages in the “Graveyard of the Pacific”—where turbulent currents, shifting light, and volatile weather converge. In these scenes, mist-laden skies, snow covered peaks, and restless waves suggest both danger and beauty, with the occasional vessel pressing forward through the elements.

August 6 - 29, 2026
Artist’s Reception: First Thursday, August 6, 6-8 PM
Artist Meet & Greet: Saturday, August 15 at 2 pm

Click here to view other works by Kathryn Altus

To view the exhibition Karen Kosoglad - Finding the Moment click here