Kathy E. Walker — Artist Statement
My personal goals for my art is that it is expression and illustration of my passions in life. I love the West with the horses, animals, big open skys, mountains and plains. I greatly enjoy watching someone who really relates to and knows how to ride a horse. It’s an art form in motion. I’m intrigued by the Native Americans and the incredible details and colors of their Pow Wow regalia. I am constantly learning, growing and seeing a little bit more with each painting.
My preferred medium is definitely acrylics. I work out of my home studio. I’ve had many people assume my paintings were oils. Acrylics have their limitations and quirks. Sometimes it’s tricky developing work-arounds. But overall I enjoy working with them as my medium.
I have had a passion for horses my entire life – consequently they are my favorite subject to paint. As a child I drew hundreds of horses when I was bed ridden from back surgeries. That is where my passion for art was also birthed. I strive to make the horses come alive and express their character in my work. Having owned and done some training on a young horse, I realize each horse has it’s own distinct personality.
I hope that anyone that owns my work would just have their lives brighten a bit when they view the painting as an expression of my passions.
Kathy E. Walker — Biography
At age 7, my family moved from Ohio to Phoenix, Arizona. I had early health problems and my parents felt I would do better in a new climate. While bed ridden from surgeries as a child, I filled up tablets full of drawings — mostly horses. In high school I packed up my Dad’s truck and went to various art shows in Phoenix. I sold enough paintings to pay for part of my college education.
I enjoyed my school art classes in Phoenix and went on to Northern Arizona University where I majored in commercial art. After college, I moved to Denver, Colorado and began my career in graphic design and web design.
Several years ago my passion for my fine art started surfacing again. Over the last several years, I have been in galleries throughout Colorado. In 2014, I moved from Colorado back to my roots –- the Phoenix, Arizona area to take care of my aged mother. After her passing, I moved to the mouuntains of Arizona to the town of Star Valley, next to Payson.
I have been teaching acrylic art classes at a couple of galleries in the Cave Creek area, art stores, and an art club center in Wickenburg, AZ. Then in 2023, I started teaching acrylic painting at Eastern Arizona College in Payson, Arizona.
I have participated in the Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour and Sale for three years. I have also been juried into a national horse art show in Atlanta and some juried art shows in the Phoenix area. Recently, I became a registered auction artist.
I owned a couple of horses for eight years and had the time of my life. I even worked on the ground training of my young filly. This experience helped to give my work authenticity and understanding of how horses communicate. The flick of an ear, the roll of an eye, the toss of the head can have a lot of meaning. “I know I am finished with a horse painting when I feel like the horse is breathing.”
Kathy E. Walker
Phone: 602-413-1663
Resume
Education:
3 Year Commercial Art Major at Northern Arizona University
Experience:
• Professional Graphic Designer/Illustrator in Denver, Colorado since 1978 – won local and national awards for my work
• Since 2007 have produced paintings that were shown in galleries throughout Colorado.
– 2007 Artistica Gallery in Centennial, Colorado
– 2008 Art on Main Gallery in Durango, Colorado
– 2009 Mountain Rains Gallery in Woodland Park, Colorado
– 2011 Cowbelles Gallery in Woodland Park, Colorado
– 2013 Seven Arrows Gallery in Woodland Park, Colorado
– 2015 Easy Street Gallery in Carefree, Arizona
– 2017 Adair’s Gallery of Fine Art in Glendale, Arizona
– 2019 60WEST Gallery in Wickenburg, Arizona
Shows:
2007 – Kathy E. Walker’s painting, “Mariposa” was juried into a national equestrian horse art competition, the Atlanta Equestrian Exhibition! Out of 150 entries from across the US, 50 were accepted. It is believed to be the largest equestrian art exhibition Atlanta has ever had.
2011 – Teamed up with Sonachi Navajo weavings for an art show held at Homewood Suites
2012 – Teamed up again with Sonachi Navajo weavings for an art show held at the Sheratan in Lakewood, Colorado
2013 – Accepted into the juried art show, Art in the Park at the Denver Horse Expo
2013 – Accepted into the juried art show in Glendale Arizona
2014 – Painting, “Colors of the Dance” selected for exhibit in State Capitol Building
2016 – Juried Show “Fur, Fins and Feathers”
2015, 2016, 2017 – Hidden in the Hills Art Shows
2017 – Featured Artist for “Equine Visions Art Show”
Partial List of Collectors:
Kay King – 3 Pieces
Teresa Hamilton – 3 Pieces
Courtney Cowgill – 2 Pieces
Bud Baska – 1 Piece
Hanspeter Spuhler – 1 Piece
Trissa Carter – 1 Piece
Gary Werner – 3 Pieces
Chuck Baltazar – 3 Pieces
Teaching:
Arizona Art Supply – Both Phoenix and Sun City Stores
Easy Street Gallery – Carefree, AZ
WHAM – Surprise, AZ
Private Art Classes Children and Adults – My Home
Paint Your Pet Workshop – Wickenburg Art Club
Eastern Arizona College – Payson, AZ