Katherine L. O'Brien, Artist

In her powerful series The Innocents, O'Brien boldly presents themes of resilience, spirit and the beauty of nature. Visually lush yet unpretentious, it offers a dedication to the gorillas of Rwanda and a salute to the enduring strength and resilience of the victims of the genocide in 1994. O'Brien has teamed up with the Partners In Conservation, a group allied with the Columbus Zoo, and is very involved with "on the ground "work to benefit both the people and gorillas of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

At first glance, the vibrant colors in O'Brien's human studies suggest a dramatic departure from her other work. Yet a closer look reveals a strikingly similar warmth and subtlty, matched with an engaging sense of humanity.