For Catherine, art has always been a way of seeing—of noticing light, movement, color, and the quiet beauty found in the world around her. With a Fine Arts degree in Interior Design from Brenau University and Florida Interior Design licensure, she spent more than thirty yrs. in hospitality design and project management, contributing to projects for Walt Disney World as an Imagineer, Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Marriott Vacation Worldwide, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, restaurants, hotels, and resorts. Working alongside designers, architects, engineers, craftspeople, and international teams developed her understanding of color, composition, scale, and the relationship between art and the spaces we inhabit. Yet painting was never far from her heart; her creative roots reach back to childhood art experiences at Cranbrook Academy of Art and the Flint Institute of Arts and later to her own glass-etching business and mural work while attending University of Michigan.
Today, nature, water, atmosphere, and a sense of place are at the heart of Catherine’s paintings. Having lived much of her life near the water—from the Great Lakes of Michigan to Florida’s coast—she is continually inspired by changing skies, shorelines, reflections, birds, botanicals, and landscapes. Working in oils, Oils & Cold Wax and Acrylics, she moves between representation and interpretation, using layered color, softened edges, expressive brushwork, and selective detail to capture not simply how a place looks, but how it feels and how it remains in memory. Her Christian faith quietly informs this perspective; she sees the beauty of creation as a reflection of God’s grace and hopes her work offers an invitation to pause, observe, and experience a sense of gratitude, wonder, and peace.
Catherine’s background in interior design brings a distinctive perspective to her commissioned work. She understands that an original painting becomes part of a home, hospitality environment, and ultimately someone’s life. When collaborating with collectors and design professionals, she considers both the story and emotional character of a piece as well as its scale, palette, proportion, and relationship to the surrounding space. Whether inspired by a shoreline, garden, landscape, or a place holding personal meaning, Catherine creates work centered on connection—to nature, memory, faith, and the places we carry with us.
She is a member of Morean Art Center, St. Petersburg, FL and Beach ART Center, Indian Rocks Beach, FL
Professional Background
Before dedicating herself to fine art, Catherine Gillette built a distinguished career in Hospitality Interior Design Management. Her experience spans luxury resorts, hotels, cruise ships, restaurants, theme parks, and large-scale destination developments. Known as a creative problem solver and results-focused leader, Catherine learned to balance the larger creative vision with the practical demands of budget, schedule, operations, and construction—bringing together diverse disciplines to transform ideas into completed environments.
Throughout her career, Catherine held design and leadership roles with some of the hospitality and entertainment industry's most recognized organizations, including Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Cruise Line, Marriott Vacation Worldwide, Royal Caribbean Cruises, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, and Tavistock Development, as well as serving in project management for the Compass Landing by Margaritaville development. Her responsibilities ranged from concept development and interior design to managing multidisciplinary design teams, consultants, contractors, budgets, brand standards, executive approvals, procurement, and construction. Her work encompassed everything from intimate interior spaces to complex resort and cruise environments involving hundreds of guest rooms and public venues.
That career continues to influence Catherine's work as a fine artist today. Years spent studying how people experience thoughtfully designed spaces developed her sensitivity to composition, scale, color, light, atmosphere, materials, and sense of place. Just as she once helped create environments that connected people emotionally to a destination, her paintings seek to create that connection through nature, water, atmosphere, and the beauty of place. Her professional background also gives her a unique understanding of the needs of Collectors, Interior Designers, Architects, Hospitality Professionals, and other design clients seeking commissioned artwork created for a particular space or experience.
She graduated with a BFA in Interior Design from Brenau University, Gainesville, GA where she was awarded best portfolio of work. She is a licensed Interior Designer #ID5662 and has obtained various other certifications.
Her focus now is on expanding her painting techniques and has attended several workshops in the Florida area. She will be submitting her work in Florida Call for Artists.
She is a member of Morean Art Center, St. Petersburg, FL and Beach ART Center, Indian Rocks Beach, FL
See Linkedin Profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-smith-7456263b
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I'd love to hear from you!
For inquiries regarding available abstract paintings or custom commission projects, please reach out to Catherine. She is available for private consultations and professional collaborations and looks forward to discussing how a custom piece can transform your space.
Estimated pricing is as follows:
Mini paintings ("5x7" - "8x10") starting at $280
"11x14" starting at $400
16" x 20" starting at $800
18" x 24" starting at $1,200
24" x 36" starting at $2,500
Please reach out regarding larger pieces
*Price does not include framing or shipping
Trade pricing and project details are discussed directly on a per project basis.
A percentage of Art earnings is given to organizations and efforts in supporting single moms and to support Waterkeeper Alliance of Florida.
Email: Catherine@casfineart.net
Cell: 321-388-5674