Take 5 with Artist/Teacher Kat O'Connor

Kat O’Connor is a full-time artist working in watercolor, acrylic, oil, and drawing media, and a popular art instructor at The Umbrella and elsewhere. Her work has been included in numerous exhibitions nationwide, and is currently featured in a solo show, Twice the Speed of Bliss, on view in The Umbrella's Allie Kussin Gallery January 13 - March 23, 2025.

Tell us a little bit about what inspired the two series that you brought together for Twice the Speed of Bliss.

A portion of the drawings in this show were inspired by a trip I took to Mongolia during the summer of 2024. In an unusual environment or culture, it’s easier to appreciate day-to-day tasks, especially when those tasks are so different from your own. I was fascinated by how the Mongolian horsemen tethered their horses to the ground and altered the knots and elements of the bridles and harnesses based on what each situation needed. During my time there I did my normal morning sketching, but started to see it in a different way. I realized that my line, and my drawings, are what tethers me to everyday experience. I’ve been doing that sketching for many years, but this was the first time I realized that it plays a bigger role in my life.

I think being in the water and being in such an unusual environment are much the same, they take me out of myself. That removal from a ‘normal’ space is similar to the experience of painting.

You’re a long-time teacher at The Umbrella. How has teaching influenced your own practice? 

My students inspire me. Watching them discover how they can communicate through their artwork or just have fun with paint reminds me that being creative is an incredible journey and opportunity.

Twice the Speed of Bliss focuses on the process of painting and drawing. How has your approach to your process changed over the years? 

I’ve become much more willing to listen to the painting (or drawing) and diverge from my original plan. I find it more exciting to see where the painting wants to go.

What excites you about showing your work at The Umbrella? 

The Umbrella is such a strong, supportive, community of artists and art lovers. I hope my work will inspire conversations about the creative process and the value of the arts in a community. It has been exciting to watch the positive changes that have occurred over the last 12 years at The Umbrella, and to be able to participate in them.

What advice would you give Kat O’Connor at the beginning of her career – or advice you’d give to a student that’s at the very beginning of their own career?

Never stop exploring. Never stop responding to your intuition and your passion. New ideas are valuable and worth experimenting with. Always be open to learning. Play is important.

Learn more about the exhibition Twice the Speed of Bliss