GAP FAMILY BLOG

Artist K.C. Snider, who has illustrated such Guardian Angel Publishing books as the award-winning historical storybook, The Golden Pathway by Donna McDine, the tween chapter book, The Weaver by Kai Strand, the Andy and the Albino Horse series by Mary Jean Kelso, and newly released, The Milk Horse by Cat Luce, has become a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

K.C. Snider, an honors graduate from The Eugene School for Art, is a prominent Oregon artist. Her love of the western life and of wildlife has been developed since her youth. She had a natural talent for drawing and color exhibited since she was ten years old. She has shared her talents as an Art Instructor at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. Her painting, the “Brothers of the Wolves I”, has been published by Colorado’s Leanin’ Tree, Inc. Her painting, “Spirit of the Hunter,” was chosen by Leanin' Tree for the 2006 Christmas card line.

Originally specializing in Western Art, K.C. has branched out into a variety of styles and subjects. Her collection of oil paintings, lithographs, and pencil drawings include portraits of the All-American Cowboy and Cowgirl and their lifestyles of days gone by. Recently, K.C. has been sculpting using a variety of subjects including cowboys, domestic animals and other funny caricatures and is working on her first bronze, “The All-American Cowgirl.”

K.C.’s paintings incorporate horses of all breeds, majestic wolves and buffalo herds, as well as eagles and other native birds of prey, in their rustic natural habitats. The western terrain in her art is not only very detailed, but it also transcends time. Now a resident of Redmond, Oregon, K.C. is inspired by the natural beauty of the high desert of Central Oregon. In some of her works, if one looks closely, the visions of spirits create an inspiring visual impact. K.C. has a gift for capturing the shimmering iridescence of the spirit world. In her reverent detail, one can almost hear the howl of wolves and the trampling of running horses on dusty trails as their stories depicted on the canvases come to life in the mind’s eye.

K.C.’s artwork has won many awards during her long career. Her rainbow collection of prize ribbons from all over the Northwest is as colorful as her work. Recently, K.C. has won plaques from the 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 Western Art Roundup at Winnemucca, Nevada. She has won prizes in several categories, as well as the prestigious Snaffle Bit Award for her authentic Western Art, the Pioneer Award for the depiction of life on the High Desert, and the Indian Heritage Award for her piece titled, “Hope of the White Buffalo.”

K.C. has now completed illustrating a number of children’s’ books. The Christmas Angel, with author Mary Jean Kelso and The Magic Violin, with Mayra Calvani were the first of the books published by Guardian Angel Publishing.

You can visit her website at http://www.kcsniderart.com/  She also has two blogs: http://blog.kcsniderart.com/  and http://andyandthealbinohorse.blogspot.com/.