​Catherine Small was born and raised in Texas.  She studied visual art, art history and design at The University of Texas at Austin and Sam Houston State University where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, graduating with honors. 

In 2003, after a successful career in graphic design, Catherine began working full time as an artist concentrating on painting and printmaking. 

Catherine’s work may best be described as narrative portraiture. Her style is influenced by the German Expressionists, the American Social Realists, African and Aboriginal artists. Her subject matter is most often inspired by the wide range emotions generated by everyday life and current world events.

Her work has been exhibited and collected nationally and internationally, and has been acquired to be added to university and corporate permanent collections.

She has lived and worked in Fribourg, Switzerland; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; San Francisco, California; Houston and Austin, Texas.  She currently resides in Washington, DC.