Born in Halifax in 1953, Catherine Moir attended the “Art College” from 1959 – 69, went to NSCAD in 1971 and to St. Mary’s University in 72. She traveled extensively in Western Europe and North Africa in 1973-74 where she enjoyed studying classic masterpieces live in the public museums and galleries. She also spent a number of years in Edmonton where she studied figure drawing. Catherine moved permanently from Halifax to Cape Breton in 1984.
It was during her employment delivering the mail along rural routes on the Washabuck Peninsula that she began to focus on landscape painting. Of the period Catherine notes: “The phenomenal environment, with all its changes implores me to paint as I drive through some of the most beautiful places in Cape Breton every day. Working outside I am in communication with the scene, the light, the clouds, rain, wind, trees, everything. While I’m working I’m being affirmed and challenged, learning constantly.
In 1999 and in 2009 Catherine had a solo show at Cape Breton University, Gallery I. She exhibited every year in Cape Breton University Gallery II, 2000-2008. Catherine has also shown at Lyghtesome Gallery, Antigonish and several other galleries in Nova Scotia, including a solo exhibit at St. Francis Xavier University Art Gallery in 2005 which contained 50 pieces all done since 2001. She has sold work to patrons throughout the world.
Catherine’s work is in the Nova Scotia Art Bank and she has worked as a juror for the Art Bank. Catherine has been the facilitator for “Peer Consultancy” a professional development program for Cape Breton Artists which she created for a number of different Arts Societies and Centres. She worked as the facilitator and curator for the Visual Art Series during the Celtic Colours Festival 2003 - 2008 and for Whitney Pier Society for the Arts since 2007. She is the director for their Arts Festival “PierScape” amoung other things. .
Recently, Catherine moved from the Baddeck area to East Bay between Sydney Forks and Marion Bridge. “I spent that year painting animals, people … anything except the landscape with which I’ve become so familiar over the past 30 years. All the big changes in my life, leaving family and friends, seemed to call for some new subjects. I found this a tremendous challenge. Now I’ve found that I must go back to my main true love: painting outdoors in the wild woods of Cape Breton.”