Born and raised in Harlingen, Texas, Katie Leigh Hernandez is most known for her charcoal, mixed media collages. Her collage drawings are often comprised of scraps, trash, and other found materials. Through her process of blending collage and drawing techniques, Katie's work explores themes of nostalgia, grief, memory, and religion.
Katie graduated with a BFA in Studio Art, specializing in Drawing at Texas State University. She has been featured in multiple exhibitions in San Marcos, TX, particularly on Texas State's campus, and in Wimberley, Texas. Her most recent exhibition, Sacred Uncertainty, was on view at Texas State Galleries back in 2024. Over this past couple years, Katie has worked an internship at DORF, a newly opened art gallery in Austin, Texas. She also worked as a part time elementary art teacher in a summer camp setting. As of now, Katie resides in Austin, TX where she works at the Blanton Museum of Art.
In her free time, Katie enjoys traveling, writing, filming and editing videos, and spending time with her friends and family. She also cherishes her three beloved dogs back home in Harlingen.
Photograph courtesy of Deandra Lee.
CV
Education
2024 BFA Studio Art, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
Group Exhibitions
2024
BFA Thesis Exhibition, Texas State Galleries, San Marcos, TX
Let Me Tell You a Story, San Marcos, Texas
Student Juried Exhibition, Texas State Galleries, San Marcos, TX; Curator: Vivien Li, Dallas Museum of Art
For the Future, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
2023
Figuring Things In, ArtSpace, Wimberly, TX
Dining Hall Exhibition, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
Hallway Exhibition, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
Connections, San Marcos Art Center, San Marcos, TX
press
2025
Canvas Rebel
How Did You Learn to Do What You Do - Meet Katie Leigh
2024
House Lebu
Solace in Self Discovery in Conversation: KATIE HERNANDEZ
The University Star
‘I’m Following My Dreams’: TXST Artists Explore Life and Subconscious
honors
2023 - 2024
Council of Scholars, College of Fine Arts and Communication, Texas State University
2021 - 2024
Dean’s List, College of Fine Arts and Communication, Texas State University
Texas State Merit Scholarship, Texas State University
*Background photograph courtesy of Deandra Lee.