Seen and Heard : Kathleen Gadway : Working Late

16" by 16", oil on cradled panel

“Working Late”

I paint to immerse myself in the world we inhabit with all its lights, shadows, colors and textures. Painting quiets my mind and when all goes well there is a time of painting without thinking when light, color and the brush take over. That is my happiest place.

“Working Late” focuses on my studio window and my view across West Berkeley rooftops to the sky above San Francisco Bay. It captures the quiet tension of a moment suspended between what has passed and what’s yet to come. In this painting, I wanted to explore the feeling of lingering at the threshold of transition — the space between “before” and “after.”  The beauty of a sunset is momentary. This piece speaks to the experience of looking out at our changing sky and taking that reflective pause when the world shifts around you. In those moments, I often find myself reflecting on what has already unfolded while quietly bracing for what’s next.