“Gathering Lilacs” was one of my first watercolor paintings that combined my favorite girl, our daughter, with my favorite flower, the lilac. It’s the image found on my business cards and website, and it perfectly represents my passion for family, painting and gardening. Although I also work in acrylics, pen and ink, and pastels, watercolor is my medium of choice. It’s challenging, but I love the transparency and fluidity of the paint.
The most rewarding part of being an artist is when someone is drawn to my work. I love sharing my work with customers and am moved when a painting evokes a feeling from the viewer, whether it’s a sense of peace from a winter landscape, the simple pleasure of a cool fall day from a walk-through-the-woods piece, or a fond memory from a portrait or figurative painting. I find that as much as I pay attention to light, composition, design and other painting principles, it is still the essence or translation of what I am painting that I strive to share.
I grew up in the Finger Lakes area, and my husband and I raised our family here. I love the seasons and all that they bring to my work. I am a signature member of the Central New York Watercolor Society, and my work has been in shows and galleries throughout New York State and Vermont. It is collected by people from around the country.
I also enjoy commission work. In addition to my paintings, I have completed murals, and painted furniture and clothing. I can be contacted through my website www.kathleen-schneider.com, at Gallery 54, or at the fragrant and charming Finger Lakes Lavender Festival at Lockwood Lavender Farm in Skaneateles, Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10.
