About Katie Wolf
Katie Wolf received her M.F.A. From the San Francisco Art Institute and her B.A. from Santa Clara University in 1972. She designed and implemented the visual arts curriculum at St. Ignatius in 1977 and has been teaching Art and Architecture 1A, Art and Architecture 1B, Art and Architecture 1B (8°), Studio Art A, Studio Art B, Studio Art B (8°), Studio Art C/Sacred Symbols, 3D Studies/Mixed Media Sculpture A, 3D studies/Mixed Media Sculpture B, 3D studies/Mixed Media Sculpture B (8°) from that time to the present.
As Scenic Artist and moderator of the student paint crew for all of the theatrical productions from 1973 to the present, she collaborates with the director, technical director and costumer in preparation for teaching the student paint crew the painting techniques necessary and an understanding of the communal nature of a theatrical production.
In addition to her daily teaching load, Katie was chosen to receive the Spohn Excellence in Teaching Grant, received a Summer Curriculum Grant in 2000 to develop the Sacred Symbols course, has taught several Summer Intensives that challenged students to create large-scale outdoor sculptures that were designed for the S.I. campus, was chosen as artist-in-residence at the “Dump” ( Nor-Cal Waste Treatment Transfer Center) and guided nine high school students in a month long creative pursuit of forming sculptures from recycled materials in the studio on site at the “Dump”, was selected as San Francisco high school art teacher of the year, was one of five high school architecture teachers selected nationally to participate in a week’s residency at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and has been selected as a conference presenter at the annual National Art Education Association conference in New York, Miami, Minneapolis, Denver and Boston as well as a presenter at the California Arts Education Association. Her students consistently win honors at local and national competitions ranging from the annual Elks Lodge #3 high school art contest to the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition.
At St. Ignatius, Katie has served as chair of the Faculty Development Board 1997-2000, member of the Board of Regents 1993-1997, member of the Principal Search Committee 1998, member of the Faculty Development Committee for Long Range Planning 1999 and Fine Art Department Chair 1994 to the present.
Professional memberships include the National Art Education Association, Jesuit Secondary Education Association, National Catholic Education Association, International Sculpture Center, Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, Artship Foundation, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums. In the larger community, Katie has served on the S.F. Archdiocesan Environment, Art and Architecture Committee, the California Province of the Society of Jesus Sponsorship Review Process Committee, board member of the Artship Foundation and continues as a working artist exhibiting and selling her work.
Katie has been developing and implementing curriculum to teach the creative process for over 35 years in San Francisco. Subject areas include architecture, sculpture, painting and set design. Her teaching has inspired thousands of students to recognize and express their gift of creativity. Their work consistently receives national and regional honors. Her personal creative work ranges from environmental fabric designs for the vast and modern St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco to intimate sacred spaces and Byzantine icons. An ancient and personal symbol system imbues her large scale paintings, welded steel sculptures, stained glass pieces, painted fabric wall scrolls, wearable art and an Art and Nature Retreat program in a pristine wilderness area with an energy that presents itself as a bridge allowing the Sacred to be sensed in our daily living.