Biography

Kirah is a lifelong artist and adventurer at heart. Her early years set a foundation for travel, exploration, and the fundamentals of visual storytelling. Her paintings and mixed media works are deeply personal expressions of memory and dreams, inspired by nature and geological forms. In addition to her studio practice, Kirah is a dynamic instructor, lecturer, mentor, and coach, leading custom studio and plein air courses directed to both beginner and seasoned artists. Kirah brings rich insight into materials and traditional and contemporary processes to her workshop offerings. She is an award-winning illustrator, graphic designer, and studio artist, a certified Golden Artist-Educator and Silver Brush Artist-Educator. She is active in community arts programming and passionate about preserving cultural and natural resources.

While Kirah calls the Cape Fear Coast home, you can find her throughout the southeast, Alaska, and Europe. She is a staff instructor at the Cameron Art Museum, an adjunct instructor at Johnston Community College, and Cape Fear Community College. Art represents her in Bloom Gallery in Wilmington, NC, and ArtPlay Studio & Gallery in Asheville, NC.

Education

• Bachelor of Science (BS), Biology and Bachelor of Arts minor (BA), Art & Art History
• Duke University; Master of Science (MS), Medical Illustration
• Medical College of Georgia; Master of Fine Arts, Non-Figurative Painting, Academy of Art San Francisco

Awards

• 2022 Wilmington Art Association Annual Juried Spring Show & Sale PanPastel Award of Merit.
• 2021 Wilmington Art Association Annual Juried Spring Show & Sale 3rd Place Award.
• 2020 Wilma Magazine Women 2 Watch Award Finalist in Education, Wilmington, North Carolina
• 2018 Wilmington Art Association Annual Spring Show & Sale Award of Merit
• 2006 Nevada Art Association 56th Annual Nevada Day Juried Art Show Second Place.
• 2002 Recipient of the “Jaycee of the Year” Award, Lexington, Virginia.
• 2001 College Fraternity Editors Association (CFEA) First Place Award of Excellence, Cover Design for The Kappa Alpha Fraternity Journal.
• 1995-98 Printing Industries of Virginia Graphic Communications Competition Award of Excellence.
• 1995 Wilmington Art Association Award of Merit.
• 1994 World Congress on Biomedical Communications Media Expo Production Festival’s Third Place.

Publications

• 2014 Book on Business, Greater Wilmington Business Journal
• 2008 Yosemite: An Exploration in Color
• 2005 Living With Fire – A Guide for the Homeowner

Portfolio

Learn more at: www.kirahfineart.com