About

Kathryn Oliver is an artist on a pilgrimage. Drawn early to Chagall’s dancing angels and the possibility of mystical encounter, she was later entranced by the winter sun illuminating an image of Mary through a stained-glass window in an ancient village in Brittany. From there, her path led to the early icons of the Eastern mystical tradition, inspiring both her large-scale figurative works and the intimate creations she calls Prayer Altars. These small works invite us to consider how the quality of attention we bring to our lives helps shape the world around us. Explore the Small Prayer AltarsGallery.

Kathryn’s current series, Dreaming to Remember, is inspired by the writings of the German Romantic author Novalis and his vision of the Blue Flower—a symbol of poetic imagination, longing, and the search for truth.

A passionate gardener, Kathryn finds inspiration and understanding through her relationship with the earth—planting seeds, tending plants, and observing the cycles of growth and renewal. Faith in the creative spirit infuses her work, where metaphor and symbolism invite us to look beyond the visible and into the imaginal.

A longtime collaborator with performance artist Kristi Williamson, Kathryn is also co-creating Mythic Heart Theatre, an innovative form of interactive ritual theater for Maine audiences that brings people together through shared stories, creativity, and wonder. Learn more about the Fairy Tale Project in the works for Mythic Heart Theatre.

Kathryn also created a series of seven liturgical banners for First Congregational Church in Camden, inspired by Byzantine iconography and the sacred traditions of the Christian year. View the completed series.