Although a fairly recent transplant to Wilmington, Kathleen has embraced the regional art scene whole-heartedly. Within one month of arriving, she joined the North Carolina Chapter of the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA) and the Wilmington Art Association, and was juried into the Wilmington Art Gallery on Castle. But then again, the creation of fine art has been her focus throughout her life -- so jumping in feet first was expected!

Kathleen received a set of oils when she turned 12 and worked in that medium until, at the age of 20, she turned to watercolors. She stayed with water media until 1996 when, by chance, she discovered colored pencils. For the next ten years she worked almost exclusively in colored pencil, winning top awards for her work in local, regional and international all media shows.

She has had several one-woman shows, and her work graces dozens of private collections and corporate headquarters throughout North America. In 2003, she co-founded the San Diego Drawing Group (now West Coast Drawing), a juried membership of emerging and established Southern California artists working in dry media. You can find her work in galleries nationwide, including Arizona, New Mexico, Arkansas and North Carolina.

Comfortable working in oils, water media, colored pencil or combinations of the same, Kathleen’s pieces will change in style from realism to impressionistic to abstract as the subject dictates.

I am daily reminded of North Carolina’s unique beauty and charm. Coming from Southern California where the seasonal changes are so subtle, I am trying to immerse myself in the feel of the landscape and its weather. Driving rain, sand whipping around and stinging my ankles, bathing in a sunrise as colors play over the water, the riot of flowers in the spring…these excite and challenge me to find my unique voice to express how magical this area seems to me. I hope eventually to create work that is truly of and from this most beautiful corner of the world.