Kate Shepherd (American, b. 1961) "The Fullish Circle" (Scaffold on Four Greys)

Provenance Note: Charles E. Balbach (1934-2024) was a respected Western New York civic leader, arts patron, and dedicated collector whose leadership left a lasting mark on the region’s cultural institutions. A graduate of Harvard University, Balbach combined intellectual rigor with a deep commitment to public service and philanthropy. He served for more than two decades on the board of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum (formerly the Albright-Knox Art Gallery), including a term as President of the Board. During his tenure, he helped guide long-range planning initiatives and strengthen institutional stewardship at a pivotal moment in the museum’s evolution. A thoughtful and disciplined collector, Balbach believed strongly in public access to art and in the responsibility of collectors to support the institutions that sustain cultural life. His legacy reflects a lifetime of civic engagement, connoisseurship, and enduring dedication to the arts.

Kate Shepherd (American, b. 1961)
Kate Shepherd is a contemporary American painter based in New York City, best known for her subtle geometric abstractions and site-specific installations. Born in New York, Shepherd received her BA from Oberlin College, followed by an MFA from the School of Visual Arts, and further training at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and the New York Academy of Art. Her practice is characterized by the careful layering of reflective enamel paint and the use of fine oil lines to construct restrained, architectural forms that explore the relativity of color and perception. Working often in diptychs, with seams and linear elements that shift subtly across panels, Shepherd investigates how color interactions create nuanced variations within a limited palette. Her work is held in the collections of major institutions including the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Phillips Collection, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and she has participated in notable residencies such as the Chinati Foundation and the MacDowell Colony.