Montana ceramic artist and painter featured at Whitefish Pottery

Whitefish Pottery and Stillwater Gallery present an exhibition of work from ceramic artist Courtney Murphy and painter Linda Katsuda for Whitefish’s First Thursday’s Gallery Nights July 11.

Murphy is a ceramic artist who lives in Missoula. She received her undergraduate degree in sociology from Boston University in 1999 and her post-baccalaureate degree in ceramics in 2004 from the Oregon College of Art & Craft.

“My designs are influenced by simplified abstractions of nature, children’s artwork, folk art, mid-century modern forms and shapes, as well as textiles, patterns and historical pots,” Murphy says.

Katsuda is a landscape and wildlife painter who lives in Whitefish. Her work ranges from realism to abstract surrealism.

“What draws me to any particular place or object is how the light plays upon the planes, making interesting patterns of light and dark,” Katsuda says, “or how the sunset or atmosphere casts its particular light on everything, making drab mountains turn purple, pink and orange at sunset, or how majestic mountains can be against a dark storm cloud with a sun beam highlighting a cliff section.”

An opening reception will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. July 11. The show will run through the month of July.