About

Kathryn Oliver is an artist on a pilgrimage. Following an early attraction to Chagall's dancing angels and the lure of mystical encounter, she found herself entranced by the winter sun illuminating 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 recent large-scale figurative works and the intimate creations she calls Prayer Altars. These small works remind us that the quality of attention we bring to our lives helps shape the world around us. Prayer Altars can be viewed in the Small Prayer Altars Gallery.

Her new series of paintings, Dreaming to Remember, is inspired by the writings of the 18th-century German Romantic author Novalis and his vision of the Blue Flower—a symbol of the poetic imagination and the search for truth. Oliver’s paintings explore this enduring image of longing.

Kathryn explores human understanding and our interconnectedness through storytelling, painting, and interactive multimedia, weaving together film, drama, masks, poetry, and visual art. She has long collaborated with gifted performance artist Kristi Williamson, and together they are developing Mythic Heart Theater, a unique form of interactive ritual theater created for Maine audiences that invites participants into shared experiences of imagination, reflection, and transformation.