I’m Kathy Kenny, a contemporary abstract artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area and part-time resident of a small village near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. My art is rooted in emotion, memory, and the natural world—shaped by the colors, textures, and layered stories of my Mexican and Palestinian heritage.

I came to painting later in life, after a fulfilling career in nonprofit leadership. I hold a Master’s degree in Social Work and am also a published author, lifelong traveler, and passionate advocate for social justice. When I picked up a paintbrush after retirement, it awakened something in me. Art became a new language—one of movement, color, and feeling—that allows me to express what words cannot.

Whether I’m working on a large canvas or an intimate work on paper, I paint to connect—first with myself, then with others. Collectors often tell me that my work “speaks to them,” and there’s no greater compliment. I believe original art should resonate deeply, stirring recognition, joy, energy, curiosity, or calm.

My work is currently exhibited at The Grand Gallery in Oakland’s Jack London Square and at Jan Marie Boutique and Gallery in Bucerías, Mexico. Past California exhibitions include The Stained Glass Garden in Berkeley, OLI/Riverside Gallery in Petaluma, San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, and Estey Gallery in Benicia.

If you’re looking for modern abstract art that brings feeling and meaning into your space, I invite you to explore my collection.