Artist's Statement

Kathy Waltner has a great love of the beauty in the outside world and of young children that is reflected in her watercolor painting. Kathy entirely paints for her enjoyment. She has panted many scenes, birds and animals that she has captured by photos from the canoe. The canoe is where she and her husband find peace and enjoy nature in their free hours away from the demands of owning a business. Every summer, she and her husband, Galen, spend a week in the wilderness of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota, enjoying the peace of the back country. Kathy has painted many scenes of this wilderness. She also enjoys painting many scenes of this wilderness. She also enjoys painting the southern California beaches of her childhood memories and scenes around the farm in Kansas, in which they not only raised wheat, milo and soybeans, but three beautiful children. Kathy has her camera with her at all times, when she is outdoors, taking photos of wildlife, flowers, and memorable scenes that are special to her and her family.

Each painting of Kathy’s has a special meaning. It is of a place that is special to her, an animal with special meaning to her life, or reflecting the special personality of a grandchild. With a Biology degree, Kathy still likes to study her natural surroundings, the uniqueness of each tree and flower. She also likes to study the lighting, shadows, reflections in water and those things that add life to a painting. Kathy loves the transparency and softness of watercolor painting.

Kathy’s husband’s sister, Lila Bartel, introduced watercolor painting to her during a family vacation in 1996. With the demands of teaching preschool and kindergarten, Kathy had little time to paint. In 2010, when she was teaching only part-time, Lila took Kathy to a workshop taught by Susan Blackwood on painting portraits in watercolor. Susan inspired Kathy, not only to paint more often, but also to paint children. Kathy, now retired from teaching, has more time to spend painting. She has added painting her seven adorable grandchildren, thanks to Susan, to her favorites of painting accomplishments.