Katie Ohe facts for kids

Katie Ohe is a famous Canadian artist. She was born Katherine Dorothea Minna von der Ohe in 1937, near Peers, Alberta. She is a sculptor who lives in Calgary, Alberta. Katie Ohe is known for being one of the first artists to create abstract sculptures in Alberta. She has also been a very important teacher at the Alberta College of Art and Design. Her most famous works are her abstract and kinetic sculptures. Kinetic sculptures are artworks that move.

About Katie Ohe's Life

Katie Ohe started her art studies in 1954. She went to the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary. At that time, it was called the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art. She studied there until 1957. Her main teacher was a pioneering modern artist named Marion Nicoll.

Other important teachers included Illingworth Kerr, Stan Blodgett, Ken Sturdy, and ceramist Luke Lindoe. In the summer of 1957, Lindoe invited her to work at Ceramics Arts. There, she worked with other artists like Walter Dexter.

Katie Ohe received an award from the National Gallery of Canada. This award allowed her to study how children learn art. She studied with Arthur Lismer at the Montreal School of Art and Design. This was from 1957 to 1958. While in Montreal, she was very impressed by an art show featuring the flat, layered works of Anne Kahane.

When she returned to Calgary, she rented a place near the famous Hart family house. She taught art to children at the Coste House in Calgary. This program was based on Arthur Lismer's ideas. She then went back to the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art. She finished her fourth year and earned her diploma in 1960.

With help from Marion Nicoll and Archie Key, Katie Ohe received a scholarship. This scholarship was from Green Shield Canada. It allowed her to go to New York City for three years. She studied at the SculptureCenter. The director there was Dorothea Henrietta Denslow. While studying, she worked with sculptor Sahl Swarz. He later invited her to Verona, Italy. She spent several summers working at a Bronze Foundry there.

Katie Ohe married artist Harry Kiyooka in 1968. In 2011, they started the Kiyooka Ohe Art Centre in Calgary. This center helps promote modern art. Harry Kiyooka passed away in 2022.

Katie Ohe as a Teacher

Katie Ohe taught drawing, ceramics, and sculpture. She taught both adults and children at Coste House from 1960 to 1962, and again from 1964 to 1967. She also taught at the Alberta College of Art and Design. She taught there from 1960 to 1962, and then from 1970 until she retired from teaching in 2016.

She was a sculpture instructor at Mount Royal College from 1970 to 1982. She also taught sculpture at the University of Calgary from 1978 to 1979. She led seminars at the Banff Centre during the same years. Many of her students became well-known artists. These include Evan Penny, Christian Eckart, Brian Cooley, Alexander Caldwell, and Isla Burns.

Public Artworks by Katie Ohe

Katie Ohe has created many public art pieces. These are artworks that can be seen in public places. Some of her famous public sculptures include:

• Three Tree (2024) at Two Park Central, Calgary
• Janet's Crown (2001) at AUArts, Calgary
• Nimmons Cairn in Bankview's Nimmons Park, Calgary
• Garden of Learning at the University of Calgary
• Zipper (1975) at the University of Calgary, Calgary
• Cracked Pot Foundations in Prince's Island Park, Calgary

Art Exhibitions Featuring Katie Ohe

Katie Ohe's art has been shown in many exhibitions. Some of these include:

• 2020: Katie Ohe. Esker Foundation, Calgary, AB
• 2019: MONSOON, featuring Robin Arseneault, Isla Burns, Christian Eckhart, Katie Ohe and Evan Penny. Griffin Art Projects, North Vancouver, BC
• 2006: Monsoon: Katie Ohe. Art Gallery of Calgary, AB
• 1991: Katie Ohe. The Illingworth Kerr Gallery, Alberta University of the Arts, Calgary, AB

Awards and Honors for Katie Ohe

Katie Ohe has received many awards for her amazing work.

• In 1991, she received the ACAD Alumni Award of Excellence.
• In 2001, the University of Calgary gave her an honorary doctorate degree. This was to recognize her important influence on art in Alberta.
• She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.
• She received the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2006.
• In 2012, she was given the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
• She became a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.
• In 2019, she was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence.

See also

In Spanish: Katie Ohe para niños