Today we’d like to introduce you to Katheryn Krouse.
Hi Katheryn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Born and raised in Overland Park, Kansas, I have always had a passion for art. While in high school, I settled on the idea of one day becoming an art teacher, with the intention of making and selling my art on the side. I went on to study Art Education at the University of Kansas when things took a dramatic turn. In August of 2010, I was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a rare form of macular degeneration in my retinas. Within months I could no longer maintain a driver’s license due to my low vision. During this time, I truly found how healing artmaking can be.
After experiencing the world with perfect vision for twenty years, the best way I can describe the changes in my vision is that I see in much higher contrast, interpreting dark values significantly darker and bright values brighter. I also experience blurred central vision, so my peripheral vision is much stronger than my central vision. I often explain it as if someone with normal vision were to squint their eyes, it’s similar to how I see. With this, I am inspired to create representational work that communicates how I see the world, embracing bold color palettes, metallic paints and incorporating lots of texture. The thick impasto texture combined with metallic paints allows each piece to evolve in a way under different lighting, giving the viewer a different experience whether they are up close or at a distance.
After graduating from KU in 2012 with Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in both Painting and Modern Art History, I moved into my downtown apartment in Kansas City, MO. There, I established my home studio, where I have been operating as a full-time artist ever since.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I say all the time, “The highs are high, and the lows are low.” But generally, it has been a smooth road. The main obstacle is not being able to drive. Living and operating out of downtown has proven to be imperative to my practice, as my apartment is on a very busy intersection where nearly every bus route in Kansas City stops at. I take the KC Streetcar almost every day, and I’m just a short walk from the grocery store, post office, drug store, etc. I have an incredible support system, thanks to my husband, parents, and friends, all who help me get around from show to show, pulling my trailer and helping me set up at various art fairs.
Most recently, a unique obstacle arose when my trailer was stolen last year. This was a lot to overcome because my trailer holds all of my art fair equipment, including my tent, art fair booth, a full inventory of finished paintings, etc. I had only two months to replace it all before my spring shows, including an out-of-state art fair in Austin, TX. Even though a police report was filed, nothing ever turned up. Thanks the incredibly generous support from the community, I was able to generate enough money through a GoFundMe, to replace everything in time for my Spring shows.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I take pride in creating representation work that communicates how I see the world, despite my vision loss. I’ve become known for my use of texture and bold color palettes on large-scale paintings. I have a few different bodies of work, including cityscapes, the paradise collection, and mixed media.
I love celebrating Kansas City in my work and get so much inspiration from living downtown over the last 11 years. My ‘Kansas City Collection’ has been a staple for me my entire career (various downtown skylines, the Nelson art museum, stadiums, etc). Every now and then, I dabble in Mixed Media, where I collage newspaper/magazine clippings and incorporate them into the composition. Most recently, I made a piece called ‘The Grand Parade’ celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs Superbowl parade. I took the Kansas City Star’s ‘Super Bowl Edition’ of newspaper and decoupaged it into my painting of the super bowl parade. It really feels like a piece of Kansas City history, so meaningful to me as my apartment/ home studio is on the parade route. In the 11 years I’ve lived downtown, there have been 3 major parades take place right outside my window. The world series parade in 2015 and 2 super bowl parades in 2020 and 2023. In a way, I’ve become known for lots of parade paintings. It was a huge privilege to have been selected for the Parade of Hearts, a public art project in Kansas City. My design this year commemorating Kansas City’s parades.
I travel out of state for an art show in Austin, TX, that takes place twice a year (once in the spring and once in the fall) I have a full body of work that celebrates all things Austin, TX, that I’ve also become known for. I have such a love for Austin, as I am a huge music lover and all things funky and weird. In addition to Austin, I also occasionally do a show in Chicago, where I have a similar body of work, only its full of Chicago skylines.
My ‘Paradise Collection’ is a completely different body of work, inspired by my recent honeymoon in Hawaii. The collection is full of many humpback whales, sea turtles, palm trees, and colorful sunsets.
All of my work consistently embraces bold color palettes and lots of thick impasto texture. I love to share my process through the form of time-lapse videos that I regularly post on social media.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is that I am able to do this full-time. Even though the art world is incredibly competitive, it’s an absolute privilege to have so many opportunities that can afford me to do this for a living. It’s why I love Kansas City so much. The affordable cost of living, the many art opportunities, and the incredible art community. I’ve met so many of my best friends in the Kansas City arts community, and that really means the most to me.
Pricing:
- I work quickly and like to keep my pricing affordable.
- Limited edition prints are $25
- Paintings range from $100- $3,000 (Depending on size)
- I take commissions all the time!
- KatherynKrouse.com
Contact Info:
- Website: KatherynKrouse.com
- Instagram: @kkrouseart
- Facebook: Katheryn Krouse Art
- Other: TikTok @kkrouseart
Image Credits
Matthew Duley
Alan Krouse
Christina Marafioti
