Kathleen Durand

I began painting in the mid 1970s while in junior high school. My mom bought me a variety of oil paints and I found a love that has lasted a lifetime. For much of my painting careeer, I have been fascinated by wildlife of plants and animals, but later, I became interested in current events and the human condition. I currently live in Flint Michigan with my husband and my youngest of 4 wonderful children. I am the proud grandmother of 2 beautiful grandbabies.

In the spring of 2014 I began working on portaits of abandoned houses.  I find beauty in the sad, lonely structures that were once homes, lived in and cared for by families. I have put them on canvas before they are gone, and there is nothing left but memories.I feel a personal connection to these homes, and I think about the unknown families that once lived in them. It is a story that unfortunately connects to so many people in the Flint area.