Eric Jacobsen

Kathleen Dunphy

Kathleen Dunphy’s 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 closed her floral design business to devote herself full time to painting. She is one of those rare people who have true passion, dedication, and a gift for transposing nature’s beauty to canvas. Kathleen’s career started in Anchorage, Alaska, while her husband was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base. After moving back to Northern California In 2003, Kathleen designed and built her own studio in the Sierra Nevada foothills where the pristine setting of her new home provides endless inspiration for her work. Kathleen’s landscape paintings can be found in galleries from coast to coast. Her honors are considerable and include Best of Show from the American Impressionist Society; an Award of Excellence from the Oil Painters of America; twelve California Art Club Gold Medal Shows; ten magazine articles; the Federal Duck Stamp Competition; Birds in Art; Arts for the Parks; Grand Prize at the Acadia Invitational Exhibition in Bar Harbor, Maine; and many others. In 2014, Kathleen’s painting “The Flotilla” was purchased by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum for inclusion in their permanent collection. 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. She now serves as Vice President of the organization. In a short period of time, she has earned an impressive and growing reputation with galleries, private collectors, and art magazines across the United States. 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.

Chris Morel

b. 1958 Taos landscape painter, Chris Morel, left his home state of Maryland a few years after graduating from art school and headed for Austin, Texas. The Maryland art market in the mid-80s was not strong, and Morel believed that the art world of Austin would allow him to become a full-time fine artist. He found work as an illustrator for the Texas Park and Wildlife Department, where he worked for several years. By 1990 Morel was able to open his own studio; he began painting full-time and started to sell his watercolor and oil works in retail galleries. In 1994 Morel moved to Ranchos de Taos in northern New Mexico and was inspired to fully develop his skill in plein aire painting, his subject matter transformed through the influence of the high desert landscape. His preferred materials at present are the mountain valleys of New Mexico, their plant life and the adobe structures of those who live there. Morel's work has been recognized by many fine art institutions in the West. He has shown at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, at the Albuquerque Museum and at Tulsa's Gilcrease Museum. His work has been featured in numerous fine art publications including Southwest Art, American Art Collector and International Artist. Among numerous awards, Morel's work was selected as "Best of Show, Artists Choice" at the 2002 Masters in Montana Show and Sale at Chaparral Gallery in Bozeman, Montana. Also in 2002, he was honored with the National Art for the Parks Region II Award and has been recognized as an Award Winner at Plein Air Tucson, in both 1998 and 1999.

Michael Obermeyer