Kat O’Connor is a full-time artist and art instructor living outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She has lead painting classes in Texas, New Mexico, Italy, Greece, and throughout New England. O’Connor’s work has been included in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the United States. She is a Copley Master with the Copley Society of Artists, and was honored with a Co/So Fellowship and Residency at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown Massachusetts in 2023, and was a 2021 Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts Resident. She was awarded a Mass Cultural Council Fellowship for her drawings and two ArtsWorcester Material Needs Grants. O’Connor works in watercolour, acrylic, and oil, and her paintings explore water in many of its various forms – frequently with the figure included.
An exceptional teacher and gifted artist, Kat O’Connor encourages each of her students to develop their own style while laying a solid foundation based on composition and technique. Kat creates a warm, relaxed classroom community where her students feel comfortable contributing and receiving constructive criticism. I have taken Kat’s classes and plein air workshops for upward of 14 years and, like many of her repeating students, feel incredibly fortunate that Kat is my teacher and mentor. — Susan Johnson
Kat is a kind, responsive teacher. She meets each student and their work, no matter the level or genre, with astute and acute, artistic sensitivity guiding them through the thoughtful visual problem solving necessary to their paintings. I deeply trust her overall understanding of the multiple aspects of the painting process and the caring way she imparts her knowledge and feedback. — Jill Goldman-Callahan - Studio Artist
I have had the great good fortune to have been a student of Kat O’Connors for the past ten or fifteen years. It is always a great pleasure to be in her class learning how to paint watercolors, a challenging medium. Kat inspires her students to improve their painting skills. She helps us understand what makes a good painting. Perhaps most important, she tailors her assignments for each student, helping us succeed. — Frances Webb
In Kat’s classes I have been challenged but also felt free to explore and experiment in ways I would never have imagined. She believes in developing confidence in her students while stretching them in new directions with creative and varied skill building exercises. Her constructive critiques are clear practical and supportive while helping students grow as artists. — Caroline Lindeke
