Catherine Dzialo-Haller, she/her

Resident Teaching Artist

Born in Middletown, Connecticut, Catherine’s earliest memories were with a Crayola, always loving to draw. Her mentor was John Sweeney, her high school art teacher…a true artist. He inspired her to enter exhibitions, winning two national Scholastic Art Awards by 16.

After moving to California, Catherine attended Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles, then moved to Hawaii, where she attended the Honolulu Art Academy and the University of Hawaii. After many years, she returned to California and earned her degree from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Throughout Catherine’s career, she has been honored with many awards and is represented in galleries in Southern California and Connecticut. She describes herself as a contemporary realist who paints abstractly. Her painting journey is through abstract areas of color, shapes, and contrast, and when completed and taken as a whole, surprises her by becoming realistic.