Adventure Art with Kathryn Matthews

Crozet Artisan Depot is presenting the adventurous artwork of Kathryn Matthews during June. Kathryn will be at the opening reception on Saturday, June 10th from 3 to 5 p.m. in the historic Crozet train depot.

Kathryn Matthews was born and raised north of Chicago, Illinois. By the time she was a senior in high school, Kathryn had decided to pursue art as a profession. This pursuit led her to the Chicago Art Institute where she started her art studies, graduating later with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1972 from The Meadows School of Art at S.M.U.

After finishing her studies at SMU, Kathryn became an illustrator for Scott Foresman Publishing and then worked at Mccann Erickson Advertising. Soon after this, she moved overseas to start an advertising business in Asia and the Middle East. Following 5 years overseas, Kathryn entered the San Francisco Academy of Art, where she developed her painting style. The organized, intense and concise training of the Academy provided Kathryn with what she considers the beginning of her understanding of the craft of art. This training not only gave Kathryn a deep understanding and love of drawing, but also developed in her a strong self-discipline and work ethic.

In January, 2005 Kathryn earned her MFA from VCU, while living in Virginia. She later became very interested in the topography of Virginia and combined her love of painting outside with trail maps. Her adventure art on maps has been her focus for a couple of years. Kathryn is now living and working in Crozet, Virginia and has shown her pieces at the National Geographic Society, Shenandoah Art Center, Crozet Artisan Depot, Orange in Richmond VA and the Lorton Workhouse in Lorton, VA.