Kathy Butterly (b. 1963) describes herself as “a painter who sculpts.” She merges the illusive depth of painting with the three dimensionality of sculpture by applying the painting principles of form and color to her ceramic pieces. She rhythmically folds her softly glazed vessels as if they are strokes of paint, transforming functional objects into expressive sculpture. Butterly earned her B.F.A. from Moore College of Art in 1986 and her M.F.A. from the University of California, Davis, in 1990, where she studied with pioneering ceramic artist Robert Arneson. Her work also reflects the influence of California artists Viola Frey and Ken Price. In 2019, the Manetti Shrem Museum presented Kathy Butterly | ColorForm, her first retrospective. Recent exhibitions include High Vibration and Assume Yes in 2026. Her work is held by major museums including Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Manetti Shrem Museum.