Kathryn Blommel is currently based in Minneapolis, MN. Her work explores themes of feminine adolescence, trauma, memory and loss. She has showcased her work at venues like the Katherine E. Nash Gallery, The New York Academy of Art, Gamut Gallery, Burl Gallery, Soo Visual Arts Center, and the Quarter Gallery at the University of Minnesota. Her work has appeared in journals including the Yale Journal of Art and Art History, The Harvard Undergraduate Art Journal and See/Saw at the University of California, Berkeley. Kathryn's artistic practice has received support through grants and scholarships from organizations such as the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, the National Society of Arts and Letters, The New York Academy of Art, the Central Minnesota Arts Board, and the University of Minnesota. In June of 2025 she attended the New York Academy of Art's Summer Undergraduate residency on The Academic Merit Scholarship.
Statement
Drawing on personal experiences, I incorporate recurring motifs such as trees, vast landscapes and the female figure into my compositions. Trees are a central symbol in my work—often rendered bare, fragmented, or reflected—serving as visual metaphors for lineage, loss, and the unseen forces that shape identity. Their branches frequently consume or entangle the figure, anchoring them within an atmospheric and often unpredictable landscape. For me, the tree symbolizes a way to explore themes of intergenerational trauma, sexual violence, and the challenges of feminine adolescence. My work engages with concepts of concealment and distortion, reflecting how memory—especially traumatic memory—can both reveal and obscure truths. My aim is to depict women as living embodiments of inherited experiences, psychological weight, and quiet resilience. By doing so, I aim to initiate a quiet yet powerful conversation with viewers about what it means to carry history within the body.