Kathleen creates commissioned portraits and other representational work in a number
of media and draws upon over 30 years’ experience. She is traditionally trained in oil
painting and credits her knowledge and skill with other media to her early career as a
medical illustrator. It is this multifaceted background that makes her unique as an artist.
Her paintings each have their own distinct style due to the medium or combination of
mediums she enlists. Her oils are traditional, yet executed in a painterly manner. Her
colored pencil and mixed media pieces are known for their rich color, soft transitions
and incredible detail.
A graduate of The Cleveland Institute of Art, she studied both medical illustration and
portrait painting. Her training as a painter began with a rich artistic heritage that was
passed down to her through the generations. Her mentor and teacher Joe Cintron
studied with Robert Brackman, who in turn studied with Robert Henri and others. It is
this rich legacy combined with the study of other master painters like Zorn, Sorolla and
Sargent that continue to inspire and influence her work today.
During her early career, she worked for a leading research hospital in Cleveland, Ohio
as a medical illustrator and graphic designer. Kathleen’s commercial art experience
includes freelance work for surgical textbooks, medical magazines, and medical legal
presentations.
It was during this same time period that she also pursued her passion for portraiture and
began accepting commissions painting children, eventually choosing to commit herself
to both painting and teaching. What began as giving private lessons in her studio,
expanded to include workshops and classes for a number of art leagues, museum as
well as gifted high school programs, and continuing education departments in several
colleges.