From ‘drawing’ on her mother’s sofa with sticks of butter to winning a nationwide competition to the acclaimed Allerton Art Academy at age 15, painting was an early compulsion. Four years at university on scholarships, and a degree in art education, she taught drawing and painting for a time at Great Basin College in Nevada.
Wanderlust took over, years passed, and Kate found herself working in Death Valley, her first National Park job. This was to begin many years of seasonal residency in the magnificent Parks of the West… Zion, Sequoia, Mesa Verde, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone… all deepened her love of wild lands and influenced her work.
Primarily a landscape painter, Kate paints many oil studies plein-air while on extended camping expeditions in the vast American outback, high plateaus in summer, deep deserts in winter. “The clear light and vivid colors of the Southwest are so enticing, one is compelled to linger and observe. My focus is to create a convincing sense of place, the stunning light, the radiant colors, the space, the sense of a living presence.”
By contrast, Kate’s studio paintings tend to focus on attempts at revealing underlying Archetypes, any visual reference is just a point of departure. With an abiding interest in the dance of light and stylized design, these paintings are explorations of another kind.
Kate’s work has won many regional awards. When time allows, she also teaches intense 2-3 day workshops on color and design.
KATE WITHERS
