In 1998 Katie attended The Art Institute of Pittsburgh where she received a degree in Photojournalism.  Katie developed interest and experience in street photography, environmental portraits, as well as fine art photography.  The importance of the black and white cityscape within a photograph complimenting the human subject is something that inspires Katie to photograph and capture her surroundings.

With much desire to continue her education in the visual arts, Katie moved to Phoenix Arizona in 2001 where she attended Phoenix College and Arizona State University.  Her first few years in Phoenix Katie had many great opportunities photographing for local art and entertainment publications as well as photographing local bands and djs for press and personal use.  With a lack of darkroom access Katie then transferred her artistic energy from photography to painting.

Painting was something Katie had always experimented and felt comfortable with but it wasn’t until she started painting regularly that she found a new love.  Though her subject matter is not complex, it is the process of creating a painting that is most important to her.  It truly is a personal experience.  Besides her personal satisfaction she also enjoys outsider’s views on her paintings.  She began to show her work at local art spaces in downtown Phoenix and also painted live during various local music events.  At the same time she became more involved in her studies at Arizona State University where she changed her major from painting to art education.  With her love of art in all mediums and with her love for children she could not imagine studying just one art form and wanted to expand her personal and professional goals.

While studying art education at ASU Katie was involved in many rewarding opportunities.  She worked as an intern at the Arizona State University Art Museum conducting inquiry-based tours to students of the Pappas Elementary School for the homeless.  She also taught at ASU’s Children’s Art Workshop, International School of Arizona, La Mesita Family Shelter, and other schools and programs through out the Phoenix area.  During her last semester she received a scholarship through ArtsBridge America and was given the opportunity to work with teachers at HeadStart, where underprivileged children attended, and brought the visual arts into their daily curriculum.  Teaching art to underprivileged/homeless children had become her main interest of study.  The positive benefits that the student experiences during the art making process is what drives Katie to teach more children.  Katie graduated cum laude in 2006 with a BFA in Art Education.

Since graduating Katie has taught for various after-school art programs and was curriculum developer and assistant teacher for the “Photographing Wright” class at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West’s Architecture Camp for kids in Scottsdale Arizona.  Currently Katie is working at the Phoenix Art Museum and creating new paintings for final exhibits in Phoenix before moving to Chicago in the summer.  Starting in the fall she will be attending The School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she will receive a Masters degree in Art Education.  She will continue her involvement with at-risk youths and their art making within a safe community environment.  She will also be exhibiting her artwork at local galleries, art spaces, and events in the Windy City.

For resume, lesson plans, questions about commissioned artwork or any other comments please contact katieromans@gmail.com

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 May, 2008