Cathy Munson is an Austin, Texas native and Honors graduate in Studio Art (B.F.A.) from the University of Texas. After graduation she worked as an illustrator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department where she developed her own intricately detailed watercolor technique and love of painting wildlife. Her artwork has gained national recognition through numerous competitions, exhibitions, private collections, and galleries.

A true labor of love is the artist’s animal portraiture as it is her intent to portray the realistic outer image as well as the special inner spirit of the subject. Cathy’s specialty is commissioned portraits of hunting, show, and family dogs. She has been a finalist for Wyoming Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year in 2005 and 2006. She was selected as the Texas Ducks Unlimited Sponsor Print Artist 1999-2000. A significant honor was two of Cathy’s dog originals were chosen for the prestigious Museum of Hounds and Hunting art exhibit in Leesburg, VA (Wash. D.C.). She has won multiple major awards at the Art Show at the Dog Show in Wichita, Kansas for the last several years, including best Sporting Dog entry for 2006. She has won major awards with the Texas Watercolor Society and the Women Artists of the West. Cathy was one of the featured artists for the prominent “Sporting Art Exhibition” at the Rockport Center for the Arts (Rockport, TX) in 2006. Recently she was honored as being one of six featured dog artists in the April 2008 Southwest Art magazine. Cathy was selected to show her art at the Phippen Art Museum in Prescott, Arizona during its prestigious Western Art Show Memorial Day annual event. She will be a quick draw artist participant at the Nation Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming during their winter carnival international dog sled festivities.

Adding to the recognition and popularity of Cathy’s artwork is her being widely known for her featured cover art and commissions for the University of Texas athletic projects and publications. She has painted portraits of the last five UT longhorn mascots (Bevo) which were printed as collector’s limited editions. The artist’s life size “Hoof beats of Champions” mural of stampeding longhorns was commissioned for the Mike Myers Track and Soccer Stadium at UT. Her newest painting, “Legacy of Champions”, commissioned for the athletic suites at baseball and north end of football stadiums features three Bevo mascots from the past, present, and future.

Cathy is a signature member of Women Artists of the West, the Wyoming Watercolor Society, the Texas Watercolor Society, the Louisiana Watercolor Society, the Arizona Art Alliance and the Arizona Watercolor Association, and the Texas Wild Bunch.

Galleries where the artist’s artwork is represented are C. Munson Studio and Gallery, Wild Hands Gallery (Jackson, Wyoming), Rockport Center for the Arts (Rockport, TX), Boulevard Fine Arts (Chicago area), Three Rivers Ranch (Orvis) Warm River, Idaho, and Y.O. Ranch Store Gallery (Kerrville, TX).