Artist Bio

Kathryn McDonnell, earned her degree from Vanderbilt University where she double majored in Art History and Russian language. She received a Master of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Mount Royal graduate program. She is the recipient of numerous fellowships, including from the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and Vanderbilt University. McDonnell's art is strongly influenced by Sant Mat, an Eastern form of meditation and philosophy, which she practices daily. A traveler by heart she has lived in California, Argentina, and the Bahamas. Her extensive travels to places such as the former Soviet Union, Uzbekistan, Israel, and Turkey have inspired her work thematically and impressionistically. She sits on the Board of Directors of the District of Columbia Art Center and is a founding member of its Sparkplug Collective. Currently, she is the treasurer of ArtWatch, a DC area artist action collective. She has also managed pop-up art venues and curated several exhibitions in the region.