Kate Huntington grew up in Providence, Rhode Island and began painting and drawing in her early years. In high school, she met an Italian artist named Antonio Dattorro. Though quite an eccentric, he was an outstanding teacher and gave Ms. Huntington an understanding of the human form that was unequal to any formal education. Huntington became his protege for a number of years receiving an invaluable education in the process. She received a scholarship to RISD in 1974 and has worked in the Providence area since 74. Her work is now shown in and about New England galleries and featured in several books. In 2007, about a dozen of Kate’s paintings were featured in the award winning TV series “Brotherhood”. Her works can be spotted in various films including “The Maiden Heist”, “The Lightkeepers” and Richard Gere’s “Hachi, a dog’s Tale”. She is a former member of the Copley Society in Boston and the Art League of RI. Ms. Huntington works out of her Bristol, RI studio. Though she works on a variety of subjects, her real passion lies in the human form. In 1992, after seeing a need for affordable open life drawing sessions in RI, she opened her studio to members of the local art community for the study of portrait and figurative work. Hundreds of students partook in the classes for 28 years until the 2020 pandemic caused it to end. Today, she is a respected life drawing teacher at the historic Providence Art Club.
3 Guys Fishing 2019
Oil on canvas 24″ x 32″
Artist Statement
The art of the human figures captured my soul over 50 years ago and I still study it today. However, my paintings certainly aren’t limited to the subject. Whether the painting is a person in a chair, a dog playing on the beach, a tree on a path or a seascape, they each have a sense of balance, movement and attitude… things that I sense while drawing the human form. As I tell my students, keep drawing and keep looking… the more you look, the more you see. I find myself looking at nature all the time and I’m so grateful for the color and beauty that surrounds us. I hope the viewer can sense the same in my work.
Additional Info
Artist’s Instagram: @katesstudios
Part of Growing the NetWorks
This artist was selected by a past NetWorks Rhode Island participant as part of Growing the NetWorks — a 2025 exhibition presented by WaterFire Providence, at the WaterFire Arts Center, celebrating peer-nominated artists from across Rhode Island. Learn more at waterfire.org/growingthenetworks
Highlighting the work of selected artists who have played vital roles in shaping the contemporary visual arts community in Rhode Island. This collection of brief video portraits provides a window into the lives, practices, and cultural contributions of professional artists.
