Kirah is an artist and adventurer at heart. Her early years set a foundation for travel, exploration and art study from the age of 6. Combining her love of science and art, Kirah graduated from Duke University with dual majors in Biology and Art and Art History. This led to a Master's of Science in Medical Illustration from the Medical College of Georgia. For eighteen years she directed Animania, LLC, her creative consulting company. She returned to visual art study and received her Master's of Fine Art - Painting from the Academy of Art University. Kirah's strength is her versatility and confidence in all mediums and genres. At her core is an understanding and practice in design and art fundamentals that spans the spectrum from representational to contemporary abstract and mixed media processes. Kirah's works are deeply personal expressions of her memories and dreams. Inspired by a relationship to nature, you will often find Kirah working en plein air. Her mixed media works combine ephemera within acrylic glazes on vast color fields, alluding to themes of liminality and the metaphorical journey across uncharted seas. In addition to her studio practice, Kirah teaches her custom series of drawing, painting, plein air and mixed media courses through museums schools, art associations, both regional and international, directed to both beginner and seasoned artists. Kirah brings a rich insight in traditional and contemporary processes to her workshop offerings. She is active in community arts programming and passionate about preservation of cultural resources and enhancing arts education. Kirah lives on the Cape Fear Coast of North Carolina. She is currently represented by Art in Bloom Gallery in Wilmington, NC and ArtPlay Studio & Gallery in Asheville, NC. She is a staff instructor at the Cameron Art Museum and Cape Fear Community College. You'll find Kirah leading workshops in southwest Florida, Alaska, Pacific NW and Europe.