Cathy’s family origins come from Venlo in the Netherlands; Van Den Essen means ‘from the Ash Tree’. In many ways Cathy feels this ingrown connection to trees and nature very strongly and this comes out in her choice of using different woods in her work.

Cathy completed her Craft Degree in 1991, majoring in Gold and Silversmithing at Monash University.

Cathy moved to the beautiful Yarra Valley, Victoria, in 1992, but has always found inspiration from the natural environment. Her inspiration also comes from her life experiences, communication, and historical, cultural and modern symbolism as an unspoken form of language.