Katie Swatland, 1981 ~ Figurative painter

Painting has been a part of my life since I was very young. There were always brushes and paint in the house growing up; and my mother was always at work painting. My appreciation and love for art came from her. After graduating magna cum laude from Syracuse University with a degree in mechanical engineering, I turned down two offers for a full scholarship to graduate school to pursue my passion.. painting.

Since graduating, I have adopted and applied my patience and study techniques to painting. My determination and dedication to art has opened up great opportunities. I currently live in Newburyport, Massachusetts and I am a member of the Putney Painters, an ongoing invitational painting group put together by Richard Schmid and Nancy Guzik at the Village Arts of Putney. I paint mostly from life, both en plein air and in the studio. I strive to capture the essence of the scene, to break it down and simplify it to the bear essentials that grasp the true heart of the human experience.