A collection of original animal-centered oil paintings from Salida artist Katie Maher are on display at Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (HRRMC) now through December 31 of this year.
Maher graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Art and minors in Business and Psychology from the University of Iowa. Following college, Maher apprenticed at Stone Cold Tattoo in Gunnison, Colo. In 2011, Maher opened her own tattoo shop in Salida, Tight Rope Tattoo, where she dove deeper into the social aspects of applying art directly on to people. Maher opened her own studio space and art gallery, the Katie Maher Fine Art Gallery, in 2016 in downtown Salida, where she creates and sells her work.
Maher’s paintings encapsulate bold depictions of life created with classic oil techniques. She utilizes photographic images of animals for inspiration, and then crafts her pieces by first outlining them in pencil, focusing on the eyes of the animal first. She then uses broad, vibrant brushstrokes to create a final product.
“I love the finished pieces and their hypnotic presence, but the real reward for me is the trance-like flow state painting gives me,” shared Maher. “It’s meditative and joyful to create with total freedom.”
HRRMC displays the work of regional artists each quarter, with an emphasis on the Arkansas Valley. Call 719-530-2217 for more information on exhibiting art at HRRMC.
