Kathleen Flanagan-Kresa began painting murals at age 17 when she traded a mural in her parents’ dining room in exchange for hay for her horse.  Her 1972 oak tree in the snow mural became the backdrop for many Thanksgiving dinners, wedding receptions, and various other family parties.  Thirty five years later, it's still there. 

Denying her artistic talent for many years, Kathleen went to work for the state of California.  It is only recently, after her children were grown, that she began painting murals again. 

In 2000 she began with nine murals in the Santa Cruz and Aptos area.  Three of those are outdoor public murals.  After moving to the northern California coast in 2004, she began "painting the town" starting with the "Mermaid and the Orca", closely followed by the 40 foot "Return of the Yurok".  The mural "Redwood Elk" was donated to Crescent City library on Christmas, 2006.  Remax's Aleutian Geese mural was completed in March, 2007, just in time for the Aleutian Goose Festival. Alas, this mural was destined to change.

http://www.triplicate.com/20070823100621/News/Local-News/Mural-cover-up

facelifthttp://www.triplicate.com/2008050897539/News/Local-News/Former-Remax-mural-could-get-a-facelift

In 2008 Kathleen completed a historical mural of Mary Adams Peacock, who delivered the U.S. Mail with her string of mules between Grants Pass and Crescent City. The mural High Meadow Elk was donated to the Post Office in her hometown of Smith River.

http://www.triplicate.com/20070922100233/News/Local-News/Smith-River-mural

In January of 2009, Kathleen joined forces with The Redwood Mural Society. Together with approximately 60 other artists, she painted the 118' Endert Pool wall. http://www.kkmurals.com/endert.html

Kathleen lives in Smith River, California where the beautiful giant California Redwoods meet the sea. Her husband Charlie is active in the Civil Air Patrol, Coast Guard Auxiliary and Guardians From Above Search and Rescue. Kathy and Charlie share their home with three dogs and two horses. Kathleen has currently joined forces with her daughter Meghan and two artists she met during the Endert Pool mural, Wanda Kirkpatrick and Doug Minty. They are now working on a mural for Caltrans.

http://www.kkmurals.com/caltranspg.html

http://www.triplicate.com/20090530106078/Northcoast-Life/Northcoast-Life/The-big-picture

Home