Meet Katherine 

When asked how long I’ve been doing this, I’ve always told people that I have been drawing ever since I could pick up a crayon. As you can see from this Polaroid taken somewhere around 1961, that I am telling the truth!

Back then I probably didn’t think much about what my subject matter was or how my medium communicated to others. Today, I find my interests are entwined in the sacred and the art of the soul. I want to evoke a response of the heart, of love, of joy, of surety that we are all connected in one way or another in all that I do. I want to convey the incredible truth that we are so much more than a body walking around. This work is not dependent on a religion or culture. To me, it is more representative that the essence of the soul exists definitively. My work is about connecting the inner worlds to the outer conscious state of being. It is all about being connected, not only on these levels individually, but on these levels collectively.

Today, I create intuitively. I don’t rely only on my sense of sight. Every sense of mine plays a role, especially my sixth sense. My inner guidance directs each piece of art that I create. I am led to bring beauty into the world in a way that will stimulate others to see not only the beauty around them, but within them. This beauty may emerge from the darkness, or deep pain, but it still emerges. It is filled with hope and is alive with messages of love.

I love to use vibrant colors that are alive with energy and _expression to convey the messages. I work primarily in acrylics today, using Golden fluid and heavy body paints. Their fluidity and color make painting incredibly fun and responsive.

I yearn to work more three dimensionally as time passes. I have begun to do some work in a relief style on wood with clay, acrylic molding pastes and acrylic paint. These pieces tell me I have more sculpture and mixed media work to explore.

Eclectic Historical Facts about Katherine:

I was born Katherine Sue Skaggs March 11, 1958 in Oklahoma City.

Received much attention from my family, teachers and friends growing up for my drawing abilities. As a result, I took my first oil painting class at age 14.

I graduated from high school in Edmond, OK and went on to Oklahoma State University to study everything I was interested in but art for two years. I continued to receive much attention for my drawing abilities, and after much encouragement, I left to study art.

At age 20 I studied watercolor and advertising design with Internationally known watercolorist and designer, Jim Bray at Phillips University in Enid, OK. Jim was an incredible teacher and artist. But, I couldn’t stand living in the small town of Enid, Oklahoma. I returned to Oklahoma State University after two semesters and graduated with a BS and a teaching certification in health and physical education.

Though I landed a teaching job after graduation, I felt like I should still try to get closer to doing my artwork. I quite the teaching job before I even started it and took a job as an advertising layout artist with Safeway Stores Inc. in their regional office in Oklahoma City. Working there convinced me to pursue my art and not advertising! I took different art classes at night school… from cartooning to design and nude drawing classes.

Feedback from my teachers convinced me to go back to school to study painting and printmaking. I applied and was accepted into Kansas City Art Institute at a sophomore level at due to all the classes I had taken prior. I was now 26. I studied painting and drawing with Wilbur Niewald at Kansas City Art Institute, in addition to many other fine teachers. Wilbur is a nationally known professional artist who paints much like Cezanne. He is an incredible teacher.

While in Kansas City I began to expand my sense of spirituality beyond religion. After I returned to Oklahoma I studied metaphysics with the School of Metaphysics. I became a teacher and a director of schools with them over a 4-year period. I spend one year at their headquarters, the College of Metaphysics, as a student and member of their publishing company staff. I illustrated and produced books and magazines that they published.

Once I left the College of Metaphysics, I was sent to Fort Collins, Colorado to run a small school here. I was only in Fort Collins for a few months when I knew it was time to do my own thing. So I left the school and opened my own inspirational bookstore and gift shop, DreamWeaver. I did paint during this time period, just not a lot. Mostly, I ran my store for nearly seven years, taught classes on dream interpretation and universal laws and truths, and spoke at local universities on the same subjects mentioned. My art stayed in the background.

I loved to work so much I made myself sick. I closed my business in 1997 to pay attention to my health and figure out what I was supposed to do with my life. It was during this time that I began painting more, intuitively. I did my first soul portraits with watercolors during that year.

Over time I needed to get regular employment. I did several jobs that seemed to have little to do with my interests in art or spirituality at this point. It was a very difficult time for me spiritually. It was my dark night of the soul. I felt extremely lost. I was in a lot of pain, emotionally and physically.

In time, I was led to go back to school to update my computer graphics skills. During that time I landed a job in Denver working as a graphic designer and right hand girl for the founder of a corporation.

For three years I worked side-by-side my boss, graphically laying out and co-editing the books, designing covers, designing web pages, coordinating an annual advertising budget of nearly $1 million in newspaper advertising, and too often acting as a glorified executive assistant. This job forced me to ask myself how I could bring my spirituality into my everyday life. I felt I had done it in so many ways in other jobs, yet none were so challenging as this one. The walls of corporate America are often lined with egos that only care about themselves, willing to stand on the backs of others if it will only lift them higher. I received many gifts and lessons from this time period. I feel I also reflected some sense of spirituality in the way I tried to live my life, when others were so afraid to do so.

I didn’t paint during this time period. My soul was hungry.

In 2003 I was fortunate enough to give my notice and begin a new venture similar to my bookstore of the 90s. I formed a business partnership with Aletheia Mystea to create Soul Sistas Creative Productions, llc. We opened a second store in August, The New DreamWeaver, in downtown Fort Collins. We were well received and had our grand opening in October 2003. Finally, I felt like I could live my life with passion and in service to others.

We invited a dear friend and artist, Shiloh McCloud, to join us for our grand opening event. Shiloh came out from San Francisco and helped create some unique products for the event, as well as spent some time with me individually, getting me to paint again. I am so grateful!

As a result of spending time with Shiloh in my then unused studio space, I have been flooding canvases with vibrant colors and inspired themes. As a result, I shared my work via the store and received rave reviews by our clientele. The success was so incredible, my business partner and I no longer run the store. We both are full time in our creative endeavors. I paint soul portraits, commissioned paintings and original works. I also am the guide for the process of developing inspirational products and their production, marketing and sales. Aletheia is writing blessings and developing her heart’s passion.

I am how beginning to teach again. This time I am using paint as the vehicle for personal development and spiritual evolution. All the eclectic years make much more sense. I am so happy I get to create in various ways, and that I get to encourage others to embrace themselves through their creativity.