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, fabric manipulation, creating her own painted and dyed fabric and working in mixed media with textiles, threads, paints and embellishments. 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. Current venues for her work are Harvest Gold Gallery in Lovell, ME; The Center for Maine Craft in Gardiner, ME; Seaside Creations, Bailey Island, ME; Pemaquid Craft Co-op, New Harbor, ME; and Coastal Chic, Newburyport, MA. 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. She has three daughters, one in Maine, one in Florida, one in California and four grandchildren. Publications:
- Art Quilting Studio, Spring 2021
- Art Quilting Studio, Autumn 2021, Playing with Collage
- 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:
- Art Guild of Kennebunk (AGK); juried member
- Maine Women in the Arts (MWA)
- Maine FiberArts
- Saco Bay Artists
- Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA)
- Maine Crafts Association (MCA)
- Society of Southern Maine Crafters (SSMC)
- Seacoast Artist Association
- Pine Tree Quilters Guild (PTQG)
Awards:
- Second Place, Embrace the Joy, Saco Bay Artists, September 2023
- First Mixed Media, Brunswick Outdoor Art Festival, August 2023
- Honorable Mention for booth, Saco Bay Artists, August 2023
- Second Mixed Media, Brunswick Outdoor Art Festival, August 2022
- Best in Show, Spring Tulips I, Seacoast Artist Association, April 2021
- Best in Show, River Sand Dunes, Seacoast Artist Association, August 2019
- Second Place, Booth, Saco Bay Artists, July 2019
- First Place, Schoodic Point, Saco Bay Artists, August 2019
- Silver Slivers, Unique Artistic Solution, Maine Women in the Arts, Fall 2018
- Second Place, Mixed Media Booth, Brunswick, Maine Art Festival, August 2017
- Honorable Mention, Spring Point Lighthouse, Saco Bay Artists, September 2016
- Honorable Mention, Mixed Media booth, Saco Bay Artists, September 2015
- Honorable Mention, A Pop of Purple, Saco Bay Artists, August 2015
- First Place, Mixed Media, Morning Coffee, Afternoon Tea, Evening Wind, Maine Women in the Arts, May 2015
- Honorable Mention, Chickadee, Saco Bay Artists, July 2014
- First Place, booth and overall work, Saco Bay Artists, August 2014
- Second Place, A Pop of Purple, Saco Bay Artists Show, August 2014
- Best in Show/First Place, A Slice of Trap, Maine Women in the Arts, May 2013
- Marea Lehman Award, Saco Bay Artists Show, September 2012
- First Place, Aurora Borealis, Art Guild of Kennebunk, August 2012
- Best in Show Mixed Media Booth, Brunswick Art Festival, August 2012
- Honorable Mention, Poppy, Saco Bay Artists, August 2011
- Second Place, Surreal Landscape, Saco Bay Artists, July 2011
- 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:
- Just Us Chickens, Kittery, Maine, March/April 2020
- Libby Library, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, May 2019
- Smaha Gallery, Gosnell Hospice Center, Scarborough, Maine, January/February 2018
- 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:
- Definitions: Words Interpreted by Fiber Artists, Saco Museum, Saco, Maine; Jan.-Feb. 2015
- UncommonThreads, Yarmouth, Maine History Center, March-April 2016
- 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
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
Kathy will be exhibiting work at several outdoor art festivals in 2022. See Exhibits page for a complete list.
For a list of exhibits prior to 2010, contact the artist. For additional information or to view/discuss her work, contact Kathy at kalee04064@yahoo.com.
