From "H" Magazine, Summer 2004

"From Academian to Artist"

Six years ago, on an ordinary day, Katherine E. Kinner made an extraordinary decision. Dismissing a degree in psychology gleaned among the creme de la creme of bright minds at University of California Irvine, she walked into an art store, bought oils and canvas, and started a new career as a painter. This risky flight into the world of fine art was especially significant since Katherine graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Order of Merit, PSICHI president and Golden Key from a presitgious university.

"I felt something important was missing in my life," she said. "Art had always been my longing, my passion. I noticed the words, longing and passion, when reading about the lives of well-known artists. The truth is that the disciplines of academia taught me that my heart was born with an unquenchable passion for creation."

Inspired by her unfulfilled desires, and in the face of parental opposition, Katherine dedicated herself to a journey of discovery, and plunged into the artistic passions she had stifled for decades. Her progress was rapid and her execution was brilliant after six years of study, self-taught Katherine Eva Kinner juried into the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts 2004 on her first application. This honor, rarely bestowed on a first-time entrant, persuaded her parents of the value of her artistic talent.

"My parents were concerned about my ability to make money," Katherine said. "They thought art would be a nice hobby, but encouraged me in academic pursuits, first and foremost. Their well-meant efforts brought me memorable scholastic experiences but did not sustain me in my life calling."

Freud, known as the father of psychology, once said, "He does not believe that does not live according to his belief." Katherine has applied that idea to her life, with a 21st century spin. "You're really not alive," she said, "unless you live what you believe."

Katherine chose to study psychology because she was fascinated by the inner workings of the mind. "I was especially interested in senses and perceptions," she said, "how color and light affect mood, why people look at the same thing yet feel differently. Psychology connects well with painting because color, shape and form affect our mental state."

There was another factor that encouraged Katherine's foray into art. "My fiancé had tremendous faith in my talent," she said. "We were childhood sweethearts. It was his support and encouragement that strengthened my decision. We had talked about entering my original art in the festival many times in the past. Then, on June 9, 2003, he died of a heart attack. Through this loss, I learned that life holds no guarantees, that we must live fully now and do what we love."