You do not have to know Kay Williams to appreciate her spectacular art. Her dedication to art and animal life are as impressive as her paintings. Kay might never have become such a popular artist if not for an evening art class at a Portland, Oregon Community College in 1967 There. Kay's instructor identified her natural artistic talent and requested that Kay teach oil painting classes the following year. His failing health inspired him to lay the foundation with the college administrators for Kay to completely take over his classes. Kay accepted that offer with a passion that continued for 12 highly successful years for her and her students. Fortunately for us all, her next commitment was to then paint full time. having always been Inspired by animals and the mysteries surrounding them, Kay has successfully directed her exceptional talents to their benefit.
Kay and her husband, noted artist Ron Holyfield, presently live in the lovely Tennessee river valley in southeastern Tennessee, not far from the Great Smokey Mountains. To obtain reference material for their'paintings they spend countless hours doing field research, sketching, photographing and video taping the behavior of animals and their habitat- Together, they have observed more wildlife behavior than many research biologists. Kay's intimate knowledge of the Pacific Northwest is readily apparent in some of her paintings where she accurately portrays landscapes and wildlife of that region. Although she leaves her paintings open to interpretation, her adept hand guides your visit through each image where you are mesmerized by her realistic habitat depictions, fee! the rough bark of the lodgepole pine, smell its resin, and perhaps even see your own footprints in the frosted grass. Most important, the relationship she creates between wildlffe and habitat is as authentic as if seen through a window into the wilderness that is Kay's classroom. Her personal objective is to achieve her maximum level of artistic proficiency as a professional artist. To art enthusiasts this means the best is yet to come!
Kay's accomplishments continue to accrue.
Some of her special honors include:
• JURIED into annual Society of Animal Artists "Art and the AnImoT exhibition. 2003.
• JURIED into annual Society of Animal Artists "Art and the Animal" exhibition, 2002. Her painting was also selected for the national tour, November 29, 2002 - September l 5, 200:1.
• INVITED to exhibit in "Feline Fine: Art ofOrti". national tour October 12, 2002 - DecemberlS. 2003.
• TOP 100 Arts for the Parks, 2000.
• JURIED uno arlstravaganza at the Hunter Museum of American An, 2001
• SELECTED for Leigh Yawkey Woodson Birds in Art, 1992 & 1999 and Wildlife: the Artist's View, 1993. Selected for Wildlife: 'Hie Artist's V^w nabonal tour.
• ARTIST of the Year, Patuxent Wildlife Art Show, Ft. Washington, MD. 1996.
• FEATURED artist, Wildlife Art Magazine, 1 997
• JURIED Into Art ami the Animal Kingdom, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington. VT, 1996-1999. ^ fEATURED, with Ron Hoiyfi^ld, 'CWir.g to the Hean of An; Wiidlife An magdzine, 1993.
• JURIED into Society of Animal Artists, 1993.
• selected artist for Craighead Wilclllfe-WIldtands Institute premiere print. 1993.
Kay has participated in premiere art shows and events for many years. These include:
• Waterfowl Festival
• Southeastern Wildlife Exposition <' Patuxent Wildlife Art Show » Florida Wildlife Exposition
• Southern Wildlife Festival |
