Kathy Wipfler, b. 1955, California, United States

Born and raised in California, Kathy Wipfler has called Jackson, Wyoming home since 1978. Drawn to the open spaces and the spectacular scenery of the region, Wipfler finds beauty not only in the landscapes, but also in such scenes as driving cattle and harvesting hay, activities she experiences first-hand living on a working ranch. Her canvas may include a wide variety of subjects including landscapes, wildlife, domestic animals, coastal scenes or rural ranch life. However it must be said, no matter what her chosen subject, Wipfler’s excellent ability to capture a sense of place consistently provides the viewer with an emotional attachment to that particular scene. A plein-air painter, Kathy Wipfler notes in an interview with ‘Southwest Art’ magazine, “There’s no excuse for not going to the source – if you are a landscapist, you go to the spot”. Wipfler’s confidence allows her to take advantage of her emotional response to the landscape. “Painting is a mix of things about what is happening and responding to it,” she concludes. “By working outdoors I directly channel intellectual and emotional responses in color, composition, value and mood. 

Wiplfer has two paintings in the permanent collection at the Whitney Museum of Western Art in the Buffalo Bill Museum of the West in Cody, Wyoming.  They are hanging prominently next to an important painting by Albert Bierstadt.  Wipfler gives credit for her inspiration to fellow artists and mentors Bill Reese, Ned Jacob, Skip Whitcomb, Hollis Williford and Greg McHuron.