Spotlight on Featured Artists: Cindy Baron and Kathleen Dunphy

2017-10-13
Catalina Island Cosnervancy

The Catalina Island Conservancy's 7th Annual Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show is less than ten days away and tickets are selling fast. This year's event will be held at Balboa Yacht Club on Sunday, October 22. Priority Access tickets provide early access for painting purchases and are only available as pre-sale tickets. Only General Admission tickets will be available for purchase day-of tickets. Buy your tickets today! For more information or to purchase tickets call 562-437-8555 ext.1239.

In this fifth installment, we introduce our final two featured artists this year. Their one-of-a-kind works of art represent all that we love about Catalina Island. The Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show is the Conservancy's second largest annual fundraising event - help to support the Conservancy's annual conservation, education and recreation programs by attending and purchasing a favorite painting (or two!) to hang on your wall. 

Cindy Baron

Cindy Baron is nationally recognized for working in both watercolors and oils and for her paintings of the grand landscapes of the western mountains and coastal shorelines. Her passion in the arts began with pastels, which then led to watercolors and then oil painting.

Raised in South Bend, Indiana, a teacher first recognized Baron's artistic skills from her drawings in school and that led to Baron spending weekends assisting teachers at the Art Center in South Bend. She became a full-time artist who conducts workshops and has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design.

In 2000, she was awarded signature status of the American Watercolor Society. In 2012, she became a signature member of Oil Painters of America and is among a small group of artists who have received acknowledgment from their peers in both watercolor and oil painting.

Kathleen Dunphy

Kathleen Dunphy has enjoyed a rapid rise in the competitive art world since American Artist magazine first recognized her as one of the Top Ten Emerging Artists in 1998. Her highest honor thus far was election to prestigious Plein Air Painters of America as one of only 35 signature members. In a short period of time, she has earned an impressive and growing reputation with galleries, private collectors and art magazines across the United States.  

Her honors are considerable and include important juried shows in California, Texas, Georgia, Arizona and Maine. She's received numerous awards, including Best of Show from the American Impressionist Society and an Award of Excellence from the Oil Painters of America. She's participated in 10 California Art Club Gold Medal Shows and been featured in eight magazine articles including Southwest Art's plein air issues in 2009 and 2013.

In 2014, Dunphy's painting "The Flotilla" was purchased by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum for inclusion in its permanent collection. Dunphy has attained signature status with the Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, the American Society of Marine Artists and Artists for Conservation.