My name is Katie Linde; I am a painter. I graduated from Belmont University in 2004 with a BFA in studio art. I am also a mom and the proud daughter of Hall of Fame songwriter, Dennis Linde. When my Father passed away, a part of me did too. So, I hung on to all the little pieces of him: His smell on the leather recliner. His Hawaiian shirts still hanging in his closet. His sticky note reminders scattered throughout the house. His music studio became a cocoon filled with dusty magic, reminding me of the soaring talent it once held. I treasured it all.
My dad once said, “My children’s imaginations are my biggest inspiration.” He treasured our creativity because he knew the importance of imagination. When confronted with the typical curious questions posed by children, he would never say whether magical places, creatures or people were real or make believe, or if the human mind could make the impossible, possible. He would just say, “If you believe it is, it is.”
When I first decided to put this show together, I wanted to somehow capture Dad’s memory through my art. I perfected each painting for him; I wanted to make him proud. I wanted to tell a beautiful story with paint, as he had done so many times with words. Towards the end of my last piece, I discovered that I had been hanging on to, “what was”. Then, unwillingly I started to let go of him. I untied him from my hurt and watched him fly. Now I see, “what is”. I remember who he is and not what he was. My Dad is no longer an empty cocoon; he is an angel and he believes in me. He gave me the gift of imagination, creativity and helps me to see all my possibilities. These paintings are gifts of, “what is”: Inspiration given to me from my father, Dennis Linde. Thank you.
Linde Manor
This 1st painting represents the beginning of My father's career. He had just moved to Nashville and had signed with Combine Music. The song, "Linde Manor" was one of his first songs on his first album... and so I decided to name the first painting from his song, "Linde Manor".
$1,000
Burnin Love
The second painting takes place during a time when my father had been staying at Bob Beckham's house (The Publisher of Combine Music). It was at this time my father met the girl to who he would spend the rest of this life with... Pam Beckham, Bob Beckhams Daughter. My mom was the sole inspiration to my fathers greatest hit "Hunka, Hunka Burnin Love" by Elvis Presley. You can faintly read the lyrics written out throughout the back splash of the painting.
$1,000
Children
The 3rd painting represents the 3rd chapter to my father's very successful life, his children. The song written in the background of this painting is titled, "Peaceful". These lyrics are also written through out the back splash.
$1,000
Letting Go
The last painting represents the end to my fathers beautiful life. The melody has left him but he still lives through his music forever. There are no lyrics to this last piece, there is no song to represent his loss. My father passed on December 22nd, 2006.
$1,000