Spotlight: Kate Lyons Landry, Med, MFA, Professor of Visual Arts and Medical Illustration

By Brent Davis & Kate Lyons Landry

Professor Landry hails from the great state of Maine: “Growing up in Maine, my family encouraged exposure to art and culture. My parents instilled the value of creating space for creative growth, consistent work ethic, and value structure.”

My family provided a template for what a creative life looks like, in addition to the framework, discipline, and encouragement to be courageous enough to follow my passion. Their values encouraged higher education, morality, stewardship, and service to others.  

I began working at AUHS in September 2023. I was inspired by the distinctive campus culture at AUHS, which fosters a supportive and unified environment. Both students and faculty alike serve our local community by contributing to a variety of volunteer stewardship opportunities. 

I draw, paint, travel, and volunteer. I mostly enjoy hiking with my loved ones and encouraging creativity in all those around me. 

I am fortunate to work in an environment that honors the value of Art. Science and Art share a long, intertwined history; both have roots in observation and interpretation. Both fields rely on a trained eye to perceive and interpret complex details. Art and science continue to influence each other in areas from technology to modern collaboration. AUHS students are actively working on the softer skills of patient care: attentive detail, subtle cues, communication, and observation. AUHS students’ commitment to Medical Illustration is impressive. It is an interprofessional course that introduces pharmacy and nursing students to foundational drawing methods and how to use art as a form of communication. My personal research interest includes using components of traditional representational graphite drawings that transition to animation of 3D models, which articulate processes of cellular pathways and surgical techniques. My goal is to encourage the creative growth of our AUHS students as they step into a lineage of excellence that inspires them not only to learn but to serve and lead. Medical Illustration [classes] are representational classes, observing and studying anatomical art and the human figure. It is designated to highlight and reinforce scientific knowledge and cultivate artistic skills to create accurate and clear visuals for medical communication. The goal is for students to recognize the relationship between art and science while developing their own innovation and creativity.

Kate teaches in both AUHS and our IB high school, AURA Academy.