Trailside Galleries is pleased to present  “Capturing The Light” a month long showcase of new landscape works by California based artist Kathleen Dunphy.   The body of work created for this special show will consist of landscapes, water scenes, farm animals, as well as still lifes; subjects which she finds close to her home in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  

Of her newest collection of paintings, she notes, “This show is all about light, which is actually the unifying theme through most of my work. To me, subject matter is not as important as dramatic light in a scene. Rather than showing a "postcard" view of an area, I'm interested in depicting a distinct moment in time. Every day is so different and I strive to highlight those unique qualities in each painting. I love fleeting light effects, especially the transient quality of early morning and late evening sun. I think we've all stopped in our tracks and marveled at that angled light striking the earth; in my work I try to capture the feeling of those moments of awe.

She adds, “In this show, I'll be featuring paintings that range from the first light on a mountain meadow to cows in the hot summer sun to the last rays of light glittering off a bend in a river. Additionally, I'll have a few still lifes in the show. Light remains the theme for these works, too, both the light that hits the objects and also its reflection and refraction through the glass vessels that I collect to use in these works.”

For Dunphy, rapid success in the competitive art world was predicted when American Artist Magazine recognized her as one of the Top Ten Emerging Artists in 1998, just 2 years after she had closed her floral design business to devote herself full time to painting.  

Kathleen’s early art education included workshops by Kevin MacPherson and Dan Gerhartz. In 2000, Kathleen was awarded a full scholarship at the renowned Academy of Art University in San Francisco.  She maintains strong ties to the Academy, where she has been offered a faculty appointment and participates in the annual Alumni Auction. Further study with Scott Christensen and T. Allen Lawson helped hone her skills and refine her own unique style of painting.

In 2003, Kathleen designed and built her own studio in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California, where the pristine setting of her home provides endless inspiration for her work.   Her awards and honors are considerable and include important juried shows in California, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, and Maine. Her many awards include Best of Show from the American Impressionist Society, an Award of Excellence from the Oil Painters of America and ten California Art Club Gold Medals.

Kathleen has attained signature status with the Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, Laguna Plein Air Painters, the American Society of Marine Artists and Artists for Conservation. Her highest honor to date came in 2013 when she was elected to join the prestigious Plein Air Painters of America as one of only 35 Signature Members.

In the spirit of passing on the gifts of her artistic abilities, Kathleen began teaching in 2005 and is a much sought-after workshop instructor. Her engaging style of teaching and one-on-one instruction garners high accolades from her student artists.