Cathy Locke

"My art practice includes explorations with not only the figure but its environment. Throughout my career, I have continued to explore both traditional and abstracted styles. I feel that each direction informs the other and keeps my work fresh. My exploration takes me down a vast array of paths as I search for the best way to communicate. "

Primarily a figure painter, Cathy Locke's passion is to bring beauty into people's homes. As an award-winning fine artist and illustrator for over twenty years, she believes there is nothing more energizing than living with original fine art in the environments where we live and work. She creates stunning paintings in oil and pastel, on surfaces that range from canvas to Mylar.

Locke has been greatly influenced by Russian artists such as Mikhail Vrubel and Nicolai Fechin. Investigating the work of the Leningrad School and Russian Symbolist painters has opened her up to exploring all kinds of creative ideas and techniques.

Cathy Locke holds a BFA from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, and an MFA from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where she currently teaches. She has received accolades for her work from numerous organizations, including the Pastel Society of America and the Pastel Journal. She has also received two Pastel 100 Awards, placing her as one of the top 100 pastelists in the world. Her work is collected by civic institutions, universities, and private patrons across the United States, Canada, and Europe.