ABOUT KATHY
As long as I can remember I have painted what has surrounded me in my everyday life.

American-born, Kathy Christian, now lives and farms in Australia. She is a self taught artisit and although she was awarded two art scholarships in the United States, circumstances prevented her from accepting these scholarships. As a young girl, Kathy was very passionate about horses and these became her first subject matter. In her early 20s, Kathy twice won the Bay Meadows California Jockey Club Award for her paintings of race horse. An interest in wildfowl and birds followed and for a number of years these were frequent themes in her painting repertoire. Kathy entered various State and Federal Duck Stamp contests in the USA and exhibited at many decoy and wildlife art shows.

For almost five years Kathy mastered the art of Scrimshaw; miniature etchings on bone and ivory. The material she used was fossilized mammoth ivory. In this medium Kathy won multiple awards. When it become unfashionable to do scrimshaw and the intricate work took a toll on her eyes, Kathy moved to painting in gouache, watercolour and coloured pencil.

Concurrent with her time as a Scrimshaw artist, Kathy was working as a handler of big cats at a wildlife rehabilitation compound in Northern California. That experience, combined with multiple trips to Kenya and Tanzania, afforded her the opportunity of observing big cats and African Wildlife at close range. It was a unique opportunity and one that has left a lasting impression on her. For a time, Kathy immersed herself in painting big cats. Although she has not painted big cats for a few years now, she has recently started to do some sketches that will lead to some new paintings.

Right from the start Kathy has painted the animals that have surrounded her and become a part of her life. She believes each animal has emotions, a specific personality and often a definite sense of humour. Kathy's primary mediums now are watercolour and gouache, although she will also use some coloured pencil in some pieces. She loves detail and is fascinated by the intricate work of talented artists such as Carl Brenders, Daniel Smith and Collin Bogle. Kathy has exhibited work in galleries in the USA and Australia, and has sold original commissioned works to clients all over the world. Her art has been featured in R.M. Williams Outback Magazine and Australian Artists Palette Magazine.

Since moving to Australia in 2003, working dogs, cattle and sheep have become an integral part of Kathy's everyday life. This has dominated the subject matter in her paintings. In addition to farming, painting and training stock dogs, Kathy writes for the International Sheepdog News, the official magazine of the International Sheep Dog Society, and has done so for about seven years.