Biography

Katherine knew she was an artist at an early age. While majoring in studio art at DePauw University, she attended Tyler School of Art in Rome and interned with Willard Midgette in New York. While in New York, she studied art at the School of Visual Arts and Pratt Institute. She frequented art museums and galleries in New York and Europe. Albert Handell has been an important teacher and mentor in recent years.

Her desire to paint New Mexico landscapes grew after a painting trip and subsequent relocation from New York to Taos. During that period, she exhibited in galleries in Taos, Scottsdale and Santa Fe, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Art Rental Gallery. She curated the first three Spirit in Art shows held during the Taos Spring Arts Celebration.

Previously painting in oil, Katherine began to work seriously in pastels in 2002. She continues to find inspiration in New Mexico landscapes; the cobalt blue skies and brilliant reds and greens found in plants and geological formations. Katherine thoroughly enjoys painting outdoors and her association with the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico. Her studio work includes paintings of New Mexico sunsets. Sunsets incorporate many abstract patterns as well as beautiful layers of color. She embraced the name given to her by a colleague – “Skywatcher”. Katherine has focused on the portrayal of light, nuance, and emotional connection through her use of color.

Katherine is an award-winning artist who regularly participates in national juried and invitational shows. She was chosen to be Artist in Residence at Zion National Park in October 2022. She was designated as Master Pastelist by the Pastel Society of America. She also achieved Eminent Pastelist with the International Association of Pastel Societies and Distinguished Pastelist with the New Mexico Pastel Society and the Arizona Pastel Artists Association. She is a Signature Member of the Women Artists of the West, Pastel Society of the West Coast, and Master Pastelist with the Southeastern Pastel Society. She is also an active member of the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico. Her work was shown on the cover and featured in the August 2015 issue of the Pastel Journal. Katherine is represented by Weems Gallery and Framing in Albuquerque, NM.

Distinctions and Memberships
International Association of Pastel Societies – Eminent Pastelist
Pastel Society of America/Signature Member
New Mexico Pastel Society/Distinguished Pastelist
Arizona Pastel Artists Association/ Distinguished Pastelist
Pastel Society of the West Coast/Sig. Member
Southeastern Pastel Society/Master Pastelist
Pastel Society of the Southwest /Signature Pastelist. Women Artists of the West/Signature Member
American League of Professional Artists, Elected Artist
American Impressionist Society. California Art Club
Awards
2025 First in Pastel Miniatures. 27th Annual Masterworks of New Mexico. Hispanic Arts Center. Albuquerque, NM
2025 Second Place, “Enchanted Colors”. Pastel Society of New Mexico. Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos, NM.
2025 Third Place. MOOS. Pastel Society of the West Coast. Online
2025 Janis Baret Award of Realism. Arizona Pastel Artists Assoc. Phippen Museum. Prescot, AZ.
2025 Award of Merit, Best Landscape. “Homeland” WAOW, Customs House Museum Cultural Center, Clarksville, TN.
2024 First Place, Pastel Division, New Mexico State Fair. Pastel Division. Albuquerque, NM.
2024 Award for Exceptional Scenic, 96th Grand Nat. Exhibition, AAPL. Salmagundi Club, NY, NY.
2024 PAPAT “Enduring Brillance!” Pastel Society of America, Galleries of the National Arts Club, NYC.
2024 Honorable Mention, All About Pastels, Southeastern Pastel Society, Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation
2024 Second Place (SD), Second Place and Margie Lucena Awards (MD)26th Masterworks of New Mexico, NM. 2024 Jeffrey Potter Memorial Award, PSNM Enchanted Colors, Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos, NM
2024 Second Place, 26th Masterworks of New Mexico Standard Division. Hispanic Arts Center, Albuquerque, NM
2024 The Art Life School – Pursuit of Beauty Award. Women Artists of the West. Phippen Museum. Prescott, AZ
2024 The Butler Institute of American Art. 51st Pastel Society of America, Youngstown, Ohio.
2023 Awarded Master Pastelist, Southeastern Pastel Society.
2023 Third Place, Southeastern Pastel Society. “Luminosity”. Online
2023 Pastelagram Award. Pastel Society of America. “Enduring Brilliance”