Katherine L. O’Brien’s work embodies a delicate approach nurtured over a 20-year career. After attending the Columbus College of Art & Design, she concentrated her talents on portraiture.  Her approach evokes a feeling both intimate yet carefree. Visually lush yet unpretentious, her current body of work is titled The Innocents, a dedication to the gorillas of Rwanda and a salute to the enduring strength and resilience of the victims of the genocide in 1994.

This series is ensconced within the themes of resilience, spirit and the beauty of nature. Using a visually rich mix of acrylic, charcoal and pastel on paper, this series resonates with an immediacy that draws you in. 

Katherine has teamed up with the Partners In Conservation, a group allied with the Columbus Zoo and a partner in the zoo community. The group is very involved with "on the ground "work to benefit both the people and gorillas of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Her hope is to raise awareness of this group's work and the courage of those who have survived the genocide.