The Artist Series

Julie Koch is a Kansas City-based artisan who creates various mediums of art, including sculpture, jewelry, and kintsugi-inspired paintings. Her organic, earth-inspired jewelry is formed by hand from precious metals and gemstones. Julie’s sculptures are crafted from antiques and have stories attached to them. She has a wide variety of egg shell paintings that she pairs with inspirational quotes and formats uniquely. Her artwork is featured in The Fusion in Parkville Frame Gallery in Parkville, Missouri as well as other local galleries in the Kansas City area. In this interview, Julie talks through her journey as an artist - how she began, what her art means to her, and what she hopes to leave behind.

Pat Cain is a dedicated abstract, acrylic painter whose intuitive, process-driven work delights in uncertainty and surprise. From early childhood, she was constantly drawing, nurtured by a supportive nun in Catholic school despite scarce art resources. She taught art for 30 years in Michigan—a role she cherished. Now painting full-time, Cain creates richly layered, textural abstracts using oils, collage, molding paste, and unconventional tools. Embracing relinquished control with age, her deeply autobiographical paintings reflect personal emotions, grief, joy, and growth, serving as therapy and a lifelong record.

Rich Berry has been a musician for 60 years and an artist for 15 years. Without any training, his artwork has won several awards and amazes viewers with its fine detail and realistic composition. He has created hundreds of pieces over the years. In this episode of The Artist Series, Rich talks about his background as a musician, Vietnam veteran, and artist. His final messages are not about art, but rather about what’s important in life.

What I love about Kaitlin Gray’s story is that it represents the kind of artists for whom art is a part of their life - not all of it. She has always been drawn to art and has painted for years; however, she sees it as an element of her life rather than the driving force behind it. I think a lot of people like her might hesitate to call themselves an artist. Also, Kaitlin’s artistic style and process is more structured than some other artists, such as abstract artists whose approach may be more free or open. Even so, some of her thoughts about being an artist are similar to theirs. The more artists that are interviewed for this series, the more we see the overlap and variances of what it means to be an artist. This is her harmonious dance between order and chaos - balancing the ability to see with being intuitive.

Ruthie Wolkey has been painting since she was a girl. Taught by her father, her artistic journey spans decades and continents. The legacy left to her by her beloved dad resonates in every pieces Ruthie creates. She now shares her talent with the Kansas City area - being featured twice in the Parade of Hearts, global contests, and several galleries and art shows. Ruthie's story is one of heart and the power of family.