Artist Statement:
I have always been fascinated by the human face and form, and never cease to be amazed that every individual on earth is unique. I enjoy the challenge of looking for the character and individuality in each person I paint, and I want to communicate the essence of his or her personality through my art.
I have called myself an artist my entire life, but it was only in recent years that I returned to the role as a professional fine artist. I have always worked in a creative field – as a free-lance designer of quilts and crafts, published author of several quilt books, and most recently as owner of small graphic design firm. These experiences were important to my growth as an artist, giving me a background as an entrepreneur and businesswoman.
When I returned to my true calling as a portrait and figurative painter, I found myself struggling with my own identity. It’s this struggle that drives me to continue to look for ways to express the emotion and depth of every individual that I paint. I particularly enjoy the challenge of painting children. Their innocence and purity hold a beauty and simplicity that adult life has erased in many people.
I am moved by the works of Bouguereau, Renior, Sargent, and Velazquez, and modern-day realists such as Daniel Gerhartz, Jeremy Lipking, and Nelson Shanks.
My ultimate goal is to create a work of art that will stand the test of time. I want to produce a legacy in oils that will be honored for hundreds of years, and for that purpose I use the highest quality materials available.
Kathleen Eaton can be contacted by e-mail at kay.eaton@gmail.com or by phone at 715-923-9432.
Biography:
Early in life, Katheen Eaton developed a passion for the arts and a desire for creative growth. As the oldest daughter of nine children, a career in the arts was not encouraged, and she temporarily re-directed her creativity in the rearing of her own three children.
After some study at a local technical college, her first job was as a legal secretary in downtown Chicago. Her strong skills and business manner served her well, and she continued to dabble in entrepreneurial endeavors. She longed to be a stay-at-home mother, but her restlessness nagged her into pursuing a small income as a free-lance designer of quilt and craft patterns for major craft magazines. This led to publication as an author of several quilting books, and eventually to starting her own graphic design business. Her success in business led to many important contacts, and she was recognized for her creativity and work ethic.
But her desire to become a fine artist eventually took hold, and she sold her business in order to focus on her passion for painting oil portraits and figurative works. She studied with well-known portrait artists such as Margaret Carter Baumgartner, Everett Raymond Kinstler, Judith Carducci, and Daniel Gerhartz. Sensing an inadequacy of formal training at a recognized institute for the arts, Kathleen acknowledges the need for continued learning. In her work, she strives to make each painting better than the last.
A relative newcomer in the world of portrait art, Kathleen has received meritorious recognition in the Richeson 75 International Portrait and Figurative Exhibit and the Richeson 75 International Landscape Exhibit and has been invited to show at the Michigan Portrait Exhibition at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI. She is a member of Oil Painters of America and The Portrait Society of America. She continues to pursue gallery placement on a limited basis, and also sells her work through word of mouth, at art fairs, and on her website.
Her recent works include a portrait of U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak, and portraits of other business acquaintances and friends. She is currently working on transitioning her work to a less “staged” look, by hiring models and working on location in serene settings. Her focus is on portraits and figurative painting, but she also enjoys painting landscapes, seascapes, and still lifes.
Kathleen’s unique background and skill set are the foundation of her growth as a fine artist. Her strong desire for perfection in her work drives her to question every stroke of the brush, and she uses only the highest quality materials available.
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