We recently released our newest Kathryn Freeman puzzle, the beautiful Forest Nocturne (below), and thought we'd share with you some Q&A with Kathryn.

Maya: How did the painting Forest Nocturne come to be?
Kathryn: Forest Nocturne was one of a series of paintings I did called "Stories from the Woods". I love walking in the woods and as a child I grew up spending a lot of time playing in the woods. They have always felt magical to me.
Maya: I find your paintings are very peaceful and soporific, with sleeping lions and well-behaved dogs and children. Is that purposeful?
Kathryn: I try to evoke a feeling of peace and calm for the person who looks at it or metaphorically enters the space. I feel like we all need that. There is so much divisiveness, cruelty, disrespect and upheaval in the world, I want my paintings to be an antidote to the poison.
Maya: What's your favorite painting you've painted and why?
Kathryn: It is very hard for me to pick a favorite painting. I guess the ones where I get closest to the feeling I'm trying to evoke are my favorites. "Sanctuary" which I finished early in the pandemic is one of those.
Maya: You've got a unique style to your artwork, both in choice of imagery and palette, is that something that just happened or you tried to develop a unique style?
Kathryn: You can't force a style. I think my style has grown out of the art I love through the entire history of art, my passions in life, and a whole lot of hours spent drawing and painting.
Maya: Any advice to share for other artists?
Kathyrn: My advice to anyone pursuing a creative career is to just put your head down and work. And spend time reflecting on paintings, films, etc that speak to you.
Maya: Have you done any of the puzzles we've made of your artwork? If so, what did you think?
Kathryn: I did Artifact's Lullaby for Lions puzzle - it was strangely familiar and oddly difficult!
Thanks Kathryn!
We'll have one more fun Kathryn Freeman puzzle out this year called Literary Dogs (not listed yet, coming probably late summer).