Renowned New Haven artist and ECA alumni Katro Storm will present 21 Paintings in 21 Days, an evolving painting installation that will allow viewers to experience his unique painting style in process. Storm will be working with ACES Aspire middle school students to create a mural that will correspond to his paintings.
Artist Katro Storm is a true son of New Haven and a force of positivity. His style has been called “full frontal figuratism;” his unmistakable technique employs layers of drips and tonal modifications, creating an active surface in which figures seem to emerge. Here, in conjunction with CWOS 2017, Storm premieres several of his celebrated portraits, each created as a commission.
Katro Storm’s formal art education began at New Haven’s Educational Center for the Arts (ECA). His work earned him a full scholarship to the Arts Institute of Boston; he then migrated to Boston’s Museum School, where, as a final project, he painted seven oversized black and white paintings in seven days, each a powerful portrait of an influential black figure. These were highlighted at the school’s Black History Month exhibition, and provided the basis for Storm’s future body of work.
Having caught the attention of artist Paul Goodnight, Storm was invited to exhibit at the National Council for the Arts at Howard University. The show was followed by private commissions, exhibits in Boston-based galleries, and finally a move to New York City. There, in 1993, he created the Subway Exhibition in what he calls “the largest underground gallery in the world.” The project was met with acclaim, and Storm and his work were featured in a piece in Time.
Storm never lost touch with New Haven. Even in his New York Years, he taught at ECA; ever since his full-time return to our city, he has been dedicated to inspiring people from all walks of life. His 2009 READ Mural, featuring images of local heroes and community leaders, sparked an outpouring of support. As he continues his own development as an artist, painting on canvas, on board and in public spaces, Storm remains an educator with an affinity for “tough kids with an edge,” and currently teaches fine arts at the Lincoln-Bassett Elementary School.
Opening Reception
Sunday, January 21, 2018, from 2–4 pm
Artist talks and a panel discussion
Sunday, February 18 from 1–4 pm