Katie Dobson Cundiff
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Katie Dobson Cundiff acquired an early appreciation for the fine arts, drawing, and painting, under the tutelage of her father, Steven Gaston Dobson, an accomplished Chicago Illustrator. Her early works earned her awards including a full scholarship in 1968 to the famed Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. She has resided in Sarasota, Florida full time since graduating with honors from Ringling in 1971.
For over 30 years, she and her husband (also a Ringling graduate) have managed their own businesses designing and producing sculptures using bronze and various natural elements for the designer trade, and producing a line of imprinted apparel (of which Katie creates all the artwork, hence the name of their business is Katie-Dids! Originals). Their sculptures and apparel all sold on a national level. In 1981 they opened their own galleries in three Florida locations and in Martha's Vineyard, selling their handmade and one-of-a kind sculptures, clothing, and jewelry.
Although successful with their creative businesses, and living a full life with three children (now grown, and all artistic individuals), Katie never stopped thinking and dreaming of one day painting full time, not only for herself, but to exhibit. In 1993 Katie took her first steps in retrieving her love for painting and traveled to Guatemala for a plein air workshop with wildlife artists John Seerey Lester and Alan Hunt. Two years later, she was accepted into a juried workshop with Richard Schmid. She resumed painting on a weekly basis with her then retired illustrator father until his death in 1999. Over the years, she has found other talented painters whom she paints with several days a week. Painting almost exclusively from life or en plein air, she has painted and won awards in numerous plein air paint-outs throughout Florida. She has traveled and painted and has work in private collections across the country, Spain, and France. In 2004, the Museum of Florida Art and Culture displayed her work in a solo exhibition, "Painting Paradise" Florida Landscapes at the Turn of the 21st Century. She is an associate member and has had work accepted in the national exhibitions of Oil Painters of America and American Women Artists, and is a signature member of Plein Air Florida. Currently, Katie Dobson Cundiff is represented by M Gallery of Fine Art in Sarasota, Florida, Corse Gallery and Atelier in Jacksonville, Florida, and Coconut Grove Gallery in Coconut Grove, FLorida. She teaches landscape painting through The Southern Atelier in Sarasota.
Personal Statement
I am primarily a landscape artist, although I enjoy painting many different subjects including portraits, people, animals, still life, and urban scenes. I think my work differs from that of other artists because of the instruction I received from my father. As a young child, I loved to sit and watch him work on his illustrations, and would often pose for him. He would let me look through his art books and by the time I was a teenager, we would have discussions on Degas, Lautrec, Sargent, Sorolla, and Zorn (to name a few). Visits to the Art Institute introduced me to the world's great art and artists we read about. Much to my father's dismay, I put my own desire to become a painter aside for many years after getting married and having children. Fortunately, he was still around when I took my paintbox out of the closet and resumed painting. We had several years painting together and discussing all our favorite artists before he passed away. I feel very lucky to have had such a wonderful teacher.
Recent Shows/Awards
2010 Paint the Town, St. Petersburg, Florida (Best of Show)
2010 Mainsail, St. Petersburg, Florida (Award of Merit)
2010 Venice Painting Paradise Plein Air Competition, Venice, Florida (Award of Merit)
2009 Forgotten Coast Plein Air Invitational, Appalachicola, Florida
Plein Air Juried Show, Museum of Art and Culture, Avon Park, Florida
Bartrum Trail Plein Air Invitational, Switzerland, Florida
Venice Painting Paradise Plein Air Competition, Venice, Florida (Award of Merit)
St. Petersburg Paint the Town Plein Air Competion, St. Petersburg, Florida (Award of Merit)
2008 Venice Painting Paradise Plein Air Competition, Venice, Florida (Best of Show)
National Biennial Exhibition Finalist, Punta Gorda, FL
Richeson 75: Artist's Choice Competion Finalist, Kimberly, WI
American Women Artists National Exhibition Finalist, Palm Desert, CA
2007 Artist in Residence, Le Hesperit Vineyard & Animal Sancuary, Moncaret, France
Venice Painting Paradise Plein Air Competion, Venice, Florida (Award of Merit)
American Women Artists National Exhibition Finalist, Scottsdale, Arizona
Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition Finalist, Naples, Florida
Oil Painters of America National Annual Exhibition Finalist, Fredericksburg, Texas
American Artists Magazine 70th Anniversary Competition Finalist, Oils
Alla Prima Fine Art Paint the Town Plein Air Competion (Second Place), St. Petersburg, Florida
2006 Venice Painting Paradise Plein Air Competition, Venice, Florida (Third Place)
National Biennial Exhibition Finalist, Punta Gorda, Florida
Alla Prima Fine Art Paint the Town Plein Air Competion (Merit Award), St. Petersburg, Florida
2005 American Women Artists National Exhibition Finalist, Dallas, Texas
2004 Museum of Florida Art and Culture, Solo Exhibition, "Painting Paradise" Florida Landscapes
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