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Kathryn Swanson Harris (Kat) was born and raised in North Carolina. As a young child she would entertain herself for hours on end looking through and studying her mothers’ art books fascinated by the richness and depth of color. One day in her 9th year, her father brought home an acrylic set intended as a hobby for himself but instead came into her possession. She copied a Modigliani she saw in an art book and the rest was history. At age 10 she was taking private art lessons with the late MaryLee Earles. Fascinated by portraits she pursued painting them. She started painting with acrylics then moved to oils and pastels. Pencil renderings soon followed. She painted on through junior high school and was selling her portraits in high school. Under the tutelage of Mrs. Eva Benbow, her art teacher she furthered her art education and was directed to the college art program at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Kat married after graduation which surprisingly added to her art repertoire. Her biologist husband introduced her to the flora and fauna of South Texas Costal Bend where she discovered a love of animals and animal portraiture. Pencil drawing was explored and fallen in love with inspired by the boundless wildlife in the area. Drawings included ringtail cats, collard lizards, and kangaroo rats all of which she encountered while doing field research with her husband. Her artistic inspirations since her move to Florida (Go Gators!) have been her beautiful yellow Labradors past and present the late, great Sampson Harris hunter supreme, Bodhi and Galen. They were and remain art in motion. Kat works in a realistic style, finding much joy in detail. Painting water is her specialty and many of her paintings include water. She paints from photographs taken by her or her husband and draws from elements of other photographs. Kat won Juror’s Pick at the 2005 Micanopy Spring Art Show. She currently holds the position of President of Micanopy Community Council for the Arts, Inc. and is a founding member of the Gallery Under the Oaks in Micanopy. Kat lives in Hawthorne, Florida with her husband Tim, the yellow wonders Bodhi and Galen, and Salem her 9 month old kitten. In addition to her artistic career she works apart-time as a Nurse in the pediatric field.
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