Kathleen W. O'Connell

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Kathy O'Connell dreamed of someday having the opportunity to be an artist full time . For most of her adult life, the necessity for her to work full time at a "day job" meant she  had only a few hours a week to pursue an art career.  Beginning in 2011, she at last had the opportunity to make that dream come true.

A native of Detroit and Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Kathy began drawing horses at an early age. The horse drawing habit continued into kindergarten and through her school years. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Industrial Design. Kathy later worked as an illustrator and a graphic designer in addition to jobs in other fields. In 1990, she began taking commissions for horse and pet portraits in her spare time. Kathy began oil painting night classes in 2000 while working full time. With her new skills, her interest broadened to painting landscapes "en plein air" in her spare time. In 2011, Kathy was at last able to work full time as an artist.

Most recently, Kathy has taught workshops on pet portraiture. She continues painting at her home and at her studio in Dearborn, Michigan. Her new studio is located in the Manno Clothing Building at 23810 Michigan Avenue, Suite 203, Dearborn, Michigan 48124.