Collagraph on paper, edition of 40, 8” x 8” image size, 12" x 10 3/4" sheet size

Kathleen Buchanan’s journey to becoming an artist was somewhat atypical. Buchanan was educated and employed as a biologist before starting to work full-time as a printmaker in 1999. While completing a Master’s degree in wildlife biology at the University of Alaska, Buchanan began to pursue her artistic interests more seriously. Although art and biology might seem to not have much in common, Buchanan views them as “two dialects of the same language” that are equally capable of communicating the human experience.

I am constantly inspired by the area where I live - the coast of Maine always reinvents itself with ever-changing ocean and sky, and seasons which each have grace and character all their own. As an artist, I am fascinated by relationships. My connection to the natural world, my role as a mother, and my own sense of self all find expression in my images. I enjoy looking at landscapes and their inhabitants not only as appealing composition subjects, but also as metaphors for our human experience. Collagraph printing, with all its intricacy and subtlety, is a fascinating medium to use in the communication of these ideas.