Artist History
Katherine works as a full time painter and exhibits from
Portland, Oregon to New York
City. She has been recognized as an accomplished artist who
is shown and collected both nationally and internationally. Now living in
Portland, Oregon she is inspired by the wild and dramatic landscapes of the
Pacific Northwest. Katherine enjoyed many years as an established
artist in Chicago, but grew up in and completed her art education in Detroit,
Michigan. She has had many significant exhibitions including an exhibition at
the Illinois State Museum, has been archived in the National Museum of Women in
the Arts in Washington DC and her artwork is included in many important
collections. Katherine has been actively involved in the arts community in
Chicago by participating in and developing exhibitions and publicizing the arts.
In Portland she has exhibited her work, taught painting at Portland State
University
and has joined Portland Art Museum Art Councils. Katherine, for the past four
years, has been exhibiting at the prestigious Walter Wickiser Gallery
in New York City.
During Katherine’s time in
Chicago she was an active artist in the Chicago art community where she
participated in exhibitions, joined galleries, and took part in art selection
committees. She was selected to be the director, curator and records
coordinator at Art-EXPO Chicago for ARC gallery, curator of the West Hubbard
Gallery, and chairperson of the Evanston Art Center Co-op Gallery.
Katherine’s work in Chicago lead to recognition to her artistic ability and
achievements. She has been archived in the National Museum of women
in the Arts, Library and Research Center: Archives of Women Artists, Washington
D.C. and has been awarded and published in Who’s Who of American Women, Marquis
Who’s Who, New Providence, NJ.
Katherine received both her BFA in art and art history and her MA
in painting and printmaking from Wayne State University. During her graduate
studies Katherine was recognized for her outstanding artistic abilities and
achievements by being given the first place award in graduate drawing and
printmaking. Furthermore, she was chosen to participate in an intensive graduate
study program at Cranbrook Academy. After her graduate studies she moved from
Detroit to Chicago, Illinois. Soon after her move to Chicago she worked for
VISTA helping immigrants. There she became inspired by the craft of
iconography. She studied and taught herself the iconographic art of applying
gold leaf to paper and began using gold leaf in her creations.
Katherine has been a dedicated teacher of the arts and has been recognized for her exceptional work as a professor by receiving multiple outstanding teaching awards from Oakton Community College. Katherine has taught a large breadth of courses including studio arts and art history at Oakton Community College and at Harry S. Truman College in Chicago, Illinois and Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Katherine has also had an interest in social issues. She initiated art programs for schools and participated in the VISTA social service program in Chicago. Prior to receiving her Master’s Degree Katherine taught art at elementary and high school inner-city schools to children below the national poverty level.
Over the years Katherine’s work has been recognized for its complexity, depth of content and its complementary flow of images that evoke contemplation. Her earlier artwork contains many symbols and objects and focuses on the intricacies and details of the objects. Her more recent work also focuses on the symbolism of objects, but expands its view from more minute details of the object to the grand and often captivating impact of natural landscapes. Her artwork has evolved together with her artistic, personal and cultural experiences. The otherworldly quality in her artwork and her keen perception of the world for which she has become known is very much influenced by Surrealism and Magical realism and resonate her experiences in life on canvas.