Kathy Ehrisman

Artist Bio

Currently, my creativity is in landscaping my property and setting up my art studio. I’m enjoying getting things in order and preparing for my future. I’m especially excited about my studio which is loaded with art supplies. I’m looking forward to hosting art groups at my home at some point in the future. Though I tend to be a loner, I love connecting with people.

Though the future can be kind of scary, I want to be present in my artists’ voice. I want a creative community that’s sharing skills and creative ideas.

As a child, I enjoyed drawing and building things. I’ve always loved cutting things up. While other girls were playing with dolls, I was turning wooden crates into dollhouses. Once as a kid, I almost cut the end of my finger off.

I’ve learned patience along my journey. My family didn’t recognize or encouraged my creative endeavors. My high school didn’t offer art programs. Finally, I was delighted to have college art classes. My first class was drawing. Because I was hesitant to draw bold straight lines, the teacher said, “Decide what you want to draw and then make a line with confidence.” With the support of that department head, I learned to trust my creativity.

After focusing on art for three and a half years the instructor told me, “Making a living in art is hard. Perhaps you want to get a degree in education too.” He was practical, but I didn’t want to teach. Just in case, I did take those education classes and received a major in art and minored in education.

I, fortunately, make my living teaching public school. The hardest part was that most kids didn’t love art. My class was a dumping ground for difficult kids. I was grateful for every student driven to be an artist, and thankfully there were a few. Many of my kids had special ed needs, and I spent the rest of my teaching career in special ed. I’ve enjoyed helping students recognize that their strengths are more important than their weaknesses.

In my last year of teaching, I connected with my true self. The new principal was changing everything, and during the first three days of the school year, I came home crying. On the third day I stopped to pick up art supplies, I walked in and felt a rush of soul energy. Then I knew, I had to quit teaching and focus on creating. The next day I told my principal I would be teaching my last year.

Artist Statement

My art journey began with drawing commissioned portraits. Because I also framed my work, I discovered framing was more fun and profitable than drawing. Framing has been my calling for thirty years. I love enhancing artworks with framing materials. I cut mats, saw, and join the frames, wrap liners, and stretch canvases. Most of all, I enjoy collaborating with customers in choosing a product they’ll be happy to own.

Once, in a gallery, I had a strong emotional reaction as soon as I saw a particular painting. I spoke to myself deeply in my unconscious mind. It turned out to be a calendar nude that my mother had kept on the back of her closet door. She had frequently caught me in her room looking at it as a youngster. I had no conscious memory of seeing it as a child.

Having the creativity of my artwork and doing custom framing has been my sanity. I’ve learned, and am still learning, to trust myself and seek those I can rely on. And, that it’s ok to ask for help.

My creativity is in thinking out of the box. 3D work and Sculpture are my first love. I also feel called to create loose, impressionist work. My muse is leading me to broad bold strokes. My joy is figuring out how to solve a challenge.

My art is a confirmation of myself as a person. To me, growth is being able to express myself freely. Growth is exciting. My joy is being in my creative zone. When I’m creating there’s no time. I can draw for a while then find that I’d been drawing for hours.