Kathy Swan grew up in Illinois as an animal lover, pet owner and budding artist, taking art classes since childhood and minoring in Fine Arts at James Madison University in Virginia. After moving to the Columbia, Maryland, area, Swan continued her education in drawing, painting, and ceramics through courses at Baltimore Clayworks and the Columbia Art Center. After more than 15 years creating illustrative ceramics, she now focuses on showcasing the bond shared with a companion animal. In addition to having a menagerie of pets over the years, Swan also fosters senior dogs and volunteers her time at a senior dog sanctuary.
Artist Statement
Working primarily in oil pastel on Canson Velvet paper, I seek out the details in my subjects that highlight their individual personalities. I work from multiple photographs to form a composition using lighting and color to fully capture an animal’s essence and mood. I layer and blend colors to achieve vibrancy and richness in the unique colors and textures of animal subjects. My empathy for other living beings lets me notice and bring forward the details that make each animal special to us.
