About Cathleen

Baltimore City - Station North A&E District
Cathleen Sachse was born in Washington D.C. and put up for adoption at birth. Three months later she was adopted and taken home. Home was Wheaton, Md. a suburb of D.C. She lived in a poor, crime ridden neighborhood in an abusive home. At the age of 16 in very quick progression she had her father arrested, saw her childhood home get foreclosed on and moved to Towson, a relatively rich suburb of Baltimore to live with her grandparents. A year after moving she dropped out of high school and got… more

Alice I Have Become

Alice I Have Become was my graduate thesis show at MICA in 2012
  • Mini Rex, Dutch Mix, Human #3
    Mini Rex, Dutch Mix, Human #3
    rugs chewed on by rabbits, rabbit wool yarn, thread. The holes in the rug are chewed upon by the rabbits, and then refilled/repaired with drop spindled rabbit wool.
  • Mini Rex, Dutch Mix, Human #2
    Mini Rex, Dutch Mix, Human #2
    rugs chewed on by rabbits, rabbit wool yarn, paper, thread. The holes in the rug are chewed upon by the rabbits, and then refilled/repaired with drop spindled rabbit wool. The rabbit forms in front of the rugs are made of cast paper that has been wrapped with the bits of rug left over from the chewing process.
  • Mini Rex, Dutch Mix, Human #1
    Mini Rex, Dutch Mix, Human #1
    rugs chewed on by rabbits, rabbit wool yarn, paper, thread. The holes in the rug are chewed upon by the rabbits, and then refilled/repaired with drop spindled rabbit wool. The rabbit forms in front of the rugs are made of cast paper that has been wrapped with the bits of rug left over from the chewing process.
  • I am not really here
    I am not really here
    Wire topiary rabbit, pieces of rug chewed by rabbits, artificial grass, Styrofoam, wood.
  • Enlightenment
    Enlightenment
    This tree is 9 ft tall and made of Styrofoam, steel, fake grass, industrial felt, Velcro, and ready made stuffed rabbits.
  • Installation view
    Installation view
  • Installation view
    Installation view
  • The Fake and the Real #2
    The Fake and the Real #2
    Ready made plastic rabbit covered in rabbit wool yarn and thread.
  • The Fake and the Real
    The Fake and the Real
    Ready made plastic rabbit covered in rabbit wool yarn and thread.

Fiberfeffer

This is an installation at the Baltimore Threadquarters as part of Artscape. It consists of 3 clouds made of rabbits, one large felted rabbit and many modified readymade rabbits.
  • Fiberfeffer-installation View
    Fiberfeffer-installation View
    This is an installation at the Baltimore Threadquarters as part of Artscape. It consists of 3 clouds made of rabbits, one large felted rabbit and many modified readymade rabbits. Photograph taken by:Matthew Saindon
  • Fiberfeffer-installation View
    Fiberfeffer-installation View
    This is an installation at the Baltimore Threadquarters as part of Artscape. It consists of 3 clouds made of rabbits, one large felted rabbit and many modified readymade rabbits. Photograph taken by:Matthew Saindon

Oh My Bunny God!

This piece was part of the At-TENT-ion show at Artscape, Each artist was given an identical tent as a starting point for their work

This particular piece is composed of fabric swatches that have been sewn on the tent, hand painted plastic rabbits, cloth, offering dishes, and one readymade rabbit. The tent started out empty, with only a stuffed rabbit on a cloth. Throughout Artscape I collected and/or made various objects to leave as offerings. Every hour offerings would be made in the dishes, and older offerings would be placed inside the tent with the rabbit god. There was a ritual being performed at this piece every hour.
  • insidetent-copy.jpg
    insidetent-copy.jpg
    The piece was constantly evolving over the length of Artscape as new offerings were made.
  • tentbow.jpg
    tentbow.jpg
    Bowing in front of the temple
  • offeringtent.jpg
    offeringtent.jpg
    Every hour I would perform a ritual at the tent, which involved gathering previous offerings, arranging them in the "temple" around the rabbit, and leaving new offerings. Whenever I passed the front of the tent I would kneel and bow.
  • croudtent.jpg
    croudtent.jpg
  • tentopenoverview.jpg
    tentopenoverview.jpg
  • bunnytentview3.jpg
    bunnytentview3.jpg
  • bunnytent2view.jpg
    bunnytent2view.jpg
  • Oh My Bunny God!
    Oh My Bunny God!
    This is a view of the "temple" closed. Each night the tent would be closed at the end of Artscape, and reopened in the morning.

Its Bunny Time!

This piece was part of an exhibition called "Lumber Party" that was held at the City Arts Gallery as an official Art Scape satellite exhibition.
For 9 hours I sat in this particular installation trading drawings with visitors. I would then place the drawings that I had received from others up on the walls.
  • graffiti-7-12-2011-065.jpg
    graffiti-7-12-2011-065.jpg
  • Its Bunny Time!
    Its Bunny Time!
    For the remainder of the exhibition I displayed all the drawings people had given me.
  • Its Bunny Time!
    Its Bunny Time!
    During the night I was trading drawings with people. By the end of the night I had been given, and had given, 50 drawings.
  • Its Bunny Time!
    Its Bunny Time!
  • Its Bunny Time!
    Its Bunny Time!
    I was wearing a dress made of felted rabbits.
  • Its Bunny Time!
    Its Bunny Time!
    Inside the space was a 12 ft. stuffed rabbit that had been hand sewn and dyed, ready made rabbits that had been cut into pieces, green shag carpet, and various drawing materials.
  • Its Bunny Time!
    Its Bunny Time!
    The space was sectioned off by sheets painted in acrylic.
  • Its Bunny Time!
    Its Bunny Time!
    The space was sectioned off by sheets painted in acrylic.

When we become part of the water we will become part of everything

This project consists of greenware (unfired clay) rabbits. I have been taking pictures of them invading various places. Eventually they decided that if they became part of the water they would indeed be part of everything- the ultimate invasion. In these photos they are bravely marching off to face their own death and rebirth into water.
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
  • When we become part of the water we will become part of everything
    When we become part of the water we will become part of everything

Rabbits

A while back I suddenly became obsessed with rabbits. They started sneaking into my artwork, slowly taking over. I was looking for a symbol to use in my art, one that was universal and had many meanings. My symbol apparently found me.
  • The Dinner Party
    The Dinner Party
    3â??x6â??x6â?? , stuffed animal pelts hand sewn together, blank vinyl template toy, flocking, acrylic enamel, acrylic, spackle, found objects.
  • Close up of The Dinner Party
    Close up of The Dinner Party
    3â??x6â??x6â?? , stuffed animal pelts hand sewn together, blank vinyl template toy, flocking, acrylic enamel, acrylic, spackle, found objects.
  • Overwhelming Force
    Overwhelming Force
    42�x30�x36�, mixed media.
  • We are Plotting Your Doom (Invasion)
    We are Plotting Your Doom (Invasion)
    2â??x8â??x7â?? , greenware. .
  • View of the installation  This Now Belongs to Us (Invasion).
    View of the installation This Now Belongs to Us (Invasion).
    3â??x5â??x8â?? ,greenware.
  • The Trial
    The Trial
    18â?x6â??x6â?? , felt, readymade rabbit.
  • Sealed for your Protection.
    Sealed for your Protection.
    18â?x28â?â??x36â? , greenware, plastic wrap, duct tape.
  • ..and then no one came.
    ..and then no one came.
    acrylic on wood
  • See No Evil
    See No Evil
    See No Evil, 2013, rabbit wool, thread, plastic rabbit, 5? x 4.5? x 3?

Altered States

This series is about escaping from ones problems in an often self destructive way. What seems like fun and games at first turns into danger and alienation.
  • "Camo"
    "Camo"
    This piece is made of "drug" baggies hand sewn together
  • "Baltimore" and "Camo"
    "Baltimore" and "Camo"
    Both pieces are made of "drug" baggies hand sewn together
  • Baltimore
    Baltimore
    This piece is made of "drug" baggies hand sewn together
  • Down the hatch
    Down the hatch
    Acrylic on canvas
  • Its time! Its time!
    Its time! Its time!
    Acrylic on canvas
  • Playtime
    Playtime
    Acrylic on canvas
  • Plastic Wonderland
    Plastic Wonderland
    Acrylic on canvas
  • brooksc012007.jpg
    brooksc012007.jpg

The Good Soldier

The Good Soldier is a series of paintings I am currently working on that explores the concept that one man's hero is another man's terrorist.
  • The Governement Came to Survey Our Land... (Zapatista Cycle).
    The Governement Came to Survey Our Land... (Zapatista Cycle).
    acrylic on board
  • ...then they came to take our land (Zapatista Cycle)
    ...then they came to take our land (Zapatista Cycle)
    acrylic on board
  • We Were Farmers (Zapatista Cycle)
    We Were Farmers (Zapatista Cycle)
    mixed media
  • The Good Soldier
    The Good Soldier
    2008, 48�x30� , Acrylic on canvas
  • The Day the Whole World Went Away
    The Day the Whole World Went Away
    2008, 18�x24� , Acrylic on cotton sheet.
  • Silence (PTSD Cycle)
    Silence (PTSD Cycle)
    2008, 48�x36� , Acrylic on canvas
  • 1000 Yard Stare (PTSD Cycle)
    1000 Yard Stare (PTSD Cycle)
    2008, 48�x36� , Acrylic on canvas
  • Shell Shock (PTSD Cycle)
    Shell Shock (PTSD Cycle)
    2008, 48�x34�, Acrylic on canvas
  • The Day Will Come (PTSD Cycle)
    The Day Will Come (PTSD Cycle)
    2008, 33�x30� , Acrylic on canvas

Naptime!

Naptime was an installation piece in which people were invited to enter the room the piece was housed in and take a nap with a giant stuffed rabbit, or to somehow interact with the piece. The walls of the room had "domestic" sized paintings on the wall.

The rabbit is 12 feet long and hand sewn and dyed. The paintings are various sizes and are acrylic on wallpaper and decorative paper.
  • I see you from the installation Naptime!
    I see you from the installation Naptime!
    24�x14�, Acrylic on decorative paper.
  • I am not a chicken, I do not lay eggs from the installation Naptime!
    I am not a chicken, I do not lay eggs from the installation Naptime!
    14�x24�, Acrylic on decorative paper.
  • The Unforchicken from the installation Naptime!
    The Unforchicken from the installation Naptime!
    14�x24�, Acrylic on decorative paper.
  • Squirell Love from the installation Naptime!
    Squirell Love from the installation Naptime!
    24�x18� , Acrylic on stretched wallpaper.
  • Jerry from the installation Naptime!
    Jerry from the installation Naptime!
    24�x18� , Acrylic on stretched wallpaper
  • View from the installation Naptime!
    View from the installation Naptime!
    12â??x8â??, Hand sewn stuffed rabbit (fake fur, fabric dye, polyfill, thread), 8 paintings (acrylic on wallpaper, acrylic on decorative paper), found rug and pillow. Naptime! (view from installation).
  • View from the installation Naptime!
    View from the installation Naptime!
    12â??x8â??, Hand sewn stuffed rabbit (fake fur, fabric dye, polyfill, thread), 8 paintings (acrylic on wallpaper, acrylic on decorative paper), found rug and pillow. Naptime! (view from installation).
  • View from the installation Naptime!
    View from the installation Naptime!
    12â??x8â??, Hand sewn stuffed rabbit (fake fur, fabric dye, polyfill, thread), 8 paintings (acrylic on wallpaper, acrylic on decorative paper), found rug and pillow. Naptime! (view from installation).
  • close up view of the rabbit from Naptime!
    close up view of the rabbit from Naptime!
    12â??x8â??, Hand sewn stuffed rabbit (fake fur, fabric dye, polyfill, thread), 8 paintings (acrylic on wallpaper, acrylic on decorative paper), found rug and pillow. Naptime! (view from installation).
  • Naptime!
    Naptime!
    12â??x8â??, Hand sewn stuffed rabbit (fake fur, fabric dye, polyfill, thread), 8 paintings (acrylic on wallpaper, acrylic on decorative paper), found rug and pillow. Naptime! (view from installation).

Reality

This body of work is largely autobiographical (as is a majority of my work.) I'm using commonly found materials, and materials from my daily life to create an overall narrative that may not be entirely clear to the viewer. Every piece has its own story- a story that is untold. I leave interpretation up to the viewer.
  • Self Portrait
    Self Portrait
    15'x 12' This piece is made of stuffed animal pelts and tread. The stuffed animals used were my toys from childhood.
  • armor-front
    armor-front
    The dress is made of cotton, stuffed animal pelts, and thread. The stuffed animals used were from my childhood.
  • armor
    armor
    The dress is made of cotton, stuffed animal pelts, and thread. The stuffed animals used were from my childhood.
  • Winter
    Winter
    felt, carded wool, uncarded wool, knit cotton, found objects. This is a still from a performance piece.
  • And to the earth I shall return
    And to the earth I shall return
    10�x18�x24� felt
  • One by One
    One by One
    7â??X5â??x2â?? felt
  • Towson
    Towson
    bomber jacket, thread, patches