My name is Katie Puenner. I was born and raised in Chicago, IL on the Northwest side. I attended a Lutheran elementary school as well as a Lutheran High School where I was heavily involved in the art and theater programs. My work was exhibited at Concordia University for an end of the year student show. Then it was off to Columbia College in downtown Chicago.
As long as I can remember, there have always been two constants in my life, art and children. At the age of 15, I became a teacher’s assistant for 1st through 4th graders. During this time, I taught several children how to read as well as introduce them to the world of art. The reward of helping others far surpassed anything I have ever known. I am pursuing an MAT in Language Arts. My hope is to enrich my student’s lives through knowledge, creativity, and my own personal experiences.
Working at Gallery 37 gave me many of those experiences. It was a dream come true to be chosen as one of the 15 artists to create, design and paint a “Peace” mural that was to be viewed by thousands of commuters each day on the Kennedy Expressway. This enlightening experience opened my eyes and spirit to collaborative public art created in various mediums. During the fall, I was chosen to lead a group of artists in creating videos and 3-D animation for public awareness on teen issues like drug and alcohol abuse, self image, as well as gang related issues. Through this project, I learned just how much art can impact a community on so many levels. My art grew more personal and experimental as a result.
In the summer of 2003, I painted various furniture pieces to be displayed and sold throughout the summer months in the Gallery 37 Shop. The furniture was also displayed at the Merchandise Mart in the “One of a Kind Show.” My brush strokes became more free and bolder than ever while I was creating vibrant fruits, vegetables, flora and fauna on the various cabinets.
My first artistic mentor was Tomoko Kawanaka. She had enough faith in my artistic abilities to allow me to beautify and add to the diversity in our Chicago neighborhoods. I auditioned and awarded the opportunity to receive a free trip to England as a Gallery 37 representative. I spent two weeks designing costumes and acting in a student film for the Gallery 37 program in Birmingham, England.
In August of 2004, I received a BFA in Art and Design from Columbia College in Chicago. Since then, I have also been exhibited in various galleries and one woman shows throughout Chicago.
However, my most memorable art endeavor was the Hubbard Street mural project completed in 2005. The Hubbard Street Creators chose my artwork to be enlarged and painted near downtown Chicago throughout the course of the summer. My particular piece had to do with children’s dreams, with a backdrop of Chicago’s beautiful skyline, symbolizing movement and growth. The best part about painting my panel for the mural project was the unforgettable camaraderie brought about by people working together and creating a truly beautiful expression of art.
The sense of collaboration and building community toward a better tomorrow is why I want to become a teacher in an underprivileged school. Throughout my art, I express children in their innocence with a healthy world environment devoid of the ugliness of social strife, divisiveness and hatred. I hope to bring this idyllic vision of a world at peace, in harmony and brotherhood to the children I teach. A world I hope my grandchildren will live in someday. |
