About the artist

Biography

Kathy’s passion and avocation have been sewing since she was twelve years old. In the late 1980s, Kathy was introduced to quilting through an appliqué class. From that simple beginning, her work has evolved from a traditional form to a more artistic format. She is primarily self-taught, but has taken classes from many internationally known textile artists. In addition, she takes painting and drawing classes with local artists. Since her redirection (or retirement) from education in 2002, Kathy enjoys experimenting with a wide range of fabrics and techniques in both traditional and non-traditional ways. Currently, her interests are landscapes, flowers, wearable art, fabric manipulation, creating her own painted and dyed fabric and working in mixed media with textiles, threads, paints and embellishments. She is developing a body of work inspired by watercolor paintings she has done – check out the newest gallery with this work. She looks to nature for her inspiration, photographing the flowers in her garden or beautiful landscapes around her home or in her travels. Her work is more representational than abstract, although she is beginning to experiment with some abstract expression.

In 2010, Kathy’s piece, Saco Mills, was purchased by the Saco Museum, Saco, Maine, to be part of their permanent collection and in 1999 Kathy’s wallhanging, “Manatee Mama and Baby” was selected as part of a display on Endangered Species exhibited at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts. Her wearable art and art quilts have been juried into national shows. Other venues have included Old Naples Seaport Aquarium, Naples, FL; the McKown Square Gallery, Boothbay Harbor, ME; Gallery One, Old Orchard Beach, ME; Nabos, Kennebunkport, ME; Mainely Quilts at the Waldo Emerson Inn, Kennebunk, ME; Naples Health Care Associates; Purple Cactus, New Harbor, ME; Earlville Opera House, Earlville, NY; University of New England, Biddeford, ME; and Gallery 5, Lewiston, ME. She has quilts in each of the schools in Old Orchard Beach and in private collections throughout the country.

Kathy lives in Old Orchard Beach, Maine with her husband. They have two daughters, one in Maine and one in Florida, one foster daughter in California and four grandchildren.

Publications:

  • 500 Art Quilts, Lark Books, NY, Spring 2010
  • The 2010 Mill-ennial, Saco Museum, Saco, Maine, spring 2010
  • Love of Quilting, Fons & Porter, Art of Quilting – Spring Reflections (Marsh River displayed), March/April ’09
  • My World in Black and White Revisited, Fiberarts Connection of Southern California, November 2008; catalog available at www.lulu.com
  • Journal Quilts, International Quilt Association, fall 2006
  • Quilt of America: Stories of Americans and Quilts, Carole J. Gariepy, 2002

Memberships:

Teaching/Lecturing:

  • trunk shows of art quilts and/or wearable art clothing
  • sampler quilt designed for beginner quilters, hand and/or machine applique, mystery quilts, machine quilting, landscape and/or floral design workshops

Awards:

  • People’s Choice Award, Sunrise Triptych, Saco Bay Artists show, August 2010
  • Quilter of the Year, Maine Quilts, 2010
  • Honorable Mention, Marsh River (in the painting category), Bethel Art Festival, Bethel, Maine, July 2010
  • Purchase Prize, Saco Mills, for the permanent collection of the Saco, Maine Museum, 2010
  • First Place Mixed Media, Pemaquid, Art Guild of Kennebunk, June 2009
  • Honorable Mention, Boats at Sunset, Saco Bay Artists, Ocean Park, ME, September 2009
  • Third Place, Tumbling Lilies, Saco Bay Artists Show, Ocean Park, ME, August 2009
  • Third Place, Tumbling Lilies, Seaside Art Festival, July 2009
  • Merit Award for mixed media, Saco Sidewalk Art Festival, June 2009
  • Third Place Sunflowers, Seaside Arts Festival, Old Orchard Beach, ME, July 2008
  • First Place, Mixed Media, Saco Sidewalk Art Festival, June 2008
  • Honorable Mention, Purple Shadows, Saco Bay Artists Show at Saco Museum, Fall 2006
  • Third Place, Daffodil, Maine Quilts, 2006
  • First Place, Step into the Colors of the World, Maine Quilts, 2005
  • Second Place, Poppin’ Poppies, Maine Quilts, 2005
  • Second Place, From the Beach I and II, Maine Quilts, 2004
  • First Place, Sunflowers – Maine Women in the Arts Annual Awards Show, Spring 2004

Clothing Awards:

  • Third Place, Tibetan Vest outfit, Eastcoast Quilters Alliance, NH, November 2008
  • Honorable Mention, Tibetan Vest outfit, Stitch in Time Show, Int. Quilt Assoc./Houston, November 2007
  • Second Place, Funky Vest Challenge, Machine Quilters Expo, 2007
  • Teacher Award, Leather Coat Outfit, Machine Quilters Expo, 2007
  • First Place/Best Amateur Entry, Denim Around the World, Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, Winter 2005
  • Second Place, When I Grow Old (three piece outfit)– East Coast Quilters’ Alliance, Fall 2002
  • Juried into American Quilters Society Fashion Show, Paducah, KY – When I Grow Old, 2002

Solo Exhibitions:

  • Watercolor Metamorphosis, University of New England Campus Center, Biddeford, Maine, May 1-28 2009
  • In a Bind Gallery, Biddeford, Maine, September 2007
  • Featured Artist, Gallery 265, Biddeford, Maine, 2008
  • Old Naples Seaport Aquarium, Naples, Florida
  • Old Orchard Beach Town Hall
  • Dyer Library, Saco, Maine, 2003

Group Exhibitions:

  • Yawkey Cancer Center, Mass General, Boston, MA; juried invitational
  • Couleur Collection, Falmouth, Maine, juried invitational
  • Maine Women in the Arts, 4 annual shows, Kennebunkport, Maine
  • Art Guild of Kennebunk, 3 annual shows, Kennebunkport, Maine
  • Women’s Auziliary Association Art Show, Prouts Neck, Maine

Kathy will  be exhibiting work at several outdoor art festivals in 2011. See Exhibits page for a complete list.

Exhibitions 2010:

  • Size Doesn’t Matter, Heartwood College of Art (juried show), March 2010
  • The Inspired Hand IV, Maine Crafts Association Biennial Juried Members Exhibition, January 22-March 26, 2010; Atrium Art Gallery, University of Southern Maine, Lewiston, Maine
  • 2010 Mill-ennial, juried exhibition, April 3-June 13, 2010; Saco Museum, Saco, Maine
  • Maine Women in the Arts; 4 annual shows in Kennebunkport/Kennebunk, Maine
  • Art Guild of Kennebunk; 3 annual shows in Kennebunkport, Maine
  • Women’s Auxiliary Association Art Show, Prouts Neck, Maine
  • Breakfast with the Artist, Nonantum Resort, Kennebunkport, ME., Oct. 10

Exhibitions 2009:

  • Fiber Exhibit (juried show), The Gallery at 100 Market St., Portsmouth, NH, Feb. 13-April 20, 2009
  • Fabricating Art (juried show), Gallery 5, Lewiston, Maine, May 15-July 25, 2009
  • Mompe and More, Hoffman Challenge Traveling Exhibit (juried)
  • Studio Art Quilts Associates (SAQA), traveling trunk show
  • Size Doesn’t Matter, Heartwood College of Art (juried show), March 2009
  • Maine Women in the Arts; 4 annual shows in Kennebunkport/Kennebunk, Maine
  • Art Guild of Kennebunk; 3 annual shows in Kennebunkport, Maine
  • Women’s Auxiliary Association Art Show, Prouts Neck, Maine

Exhibitions 2008:

  • Seacoast Association of Fiber Artists, invitational exhibit at River Tree Arts, Kennebunk, Maine, Sept. 2008
  • Asian Nights, Hoffman Challenge Traveling Exhibit (juried)
  • Winter’s Coming, 123 Invitational Exhibit, Heartwood College, August 2008
  • Anatomy of a Tree, Heartwood College of Art (juried show), June 2008
  • “When I Get Old, I’ll Wear Purple” vest, Knit Wit juried gallery show, March 1, 2008
  • Size Doesn’t Matter, Heartwood College of Art (juried show), Feb. 18-Mar. 23, 2008
  • Exactly Different (invitational mixed media show), Saco Museum, Jan. 2008
  • Journal Quilts from Creative Quilting: The Journal Quilt Project, IQA – Houston, Chicago, Long Beach, CA
  • Maine Women in the Arts; 4 annual shows in Kennebunkport/Kennebunk, Maine
  • Art Guild of Kennebunk; 3 annual shows in Kennebunkport, Maine
  • Women’s Auxiliary Association Art Show, Prouts Neck, Maine

For a list of exhibits prior to 2008, contact the artist.

For additional information or to view/discuss her work, contact Kathy at klee@maine.rr.com.