Monterey Peninsula Art Foundation
Kate Warthen

Kate Warthen is a painter of contemporary outdoor scenes, inspired by the natural beauty and architecture of her home on the Monterey Peninsula.
“Maintaining the precarious balance between my own internal response to a scene and the necessary element of design is what guides my work. Somewhere between the two lies a believable picture. Oil paint is my primary medium because I find that it offers the most intense color experience due to its layering ability and inherent rich depth of color. Watercolor, pastel, and graphite are also favorites because of their immediacy and short drying time. Most of my paintings begin en plein air, sometimes being completed in my studio in Marina, CA.”
My artistic training has been primarily self-study, with regular workshops and classes, and painting with other artists. I am a native of northern Wisconsin , but have lived in California most of my adult life, and I consider it home.
“Maintaining the precarious balance between my own internal response to a scene and the necessary element of design is what guides my work. Somewhere between the two lies a believable picture. Oil paint is my primary medium because I find that it offers the most intense color experience due to its layering ability and inherent rich depth of color. Watercolor, pastel, and graphite are also favorites because of their immediacy and short drying time. Most of my paintings begin en plein air, sometimes being completed in my studio in Marina, CA.”
My artistic training has been primarily self-study, with regular workshops and classes, and painting with other artists. I am a native of northern Wisconsin , but have lived in California most of my adult life, and I consider it home.