Kristen Walker

Kristen M. Walker is a Santa Barbara-based conservation artist drawn to exploring, painting, and protecting California’s Channel Islands. Her work highlights the islands’ dramatic landscapes and remarkable native and endemic plants.

Kristen’s paintings begin in the field—hiking island trails, observing native plants, sketching, researching, photographing, and learning. Back in the studio, those experiences become acrylic paintings that celebrate the distinctive beauty and extraordinary biodiversity of the islands.

Through her art, Kristen seeks to inspire curiosity about California’s unique island ecosystems. Her paintings are an invitation to slow down, look more closely at these remarkable landscapes, become curious about the stories they tell, and ultimately care about protecting them.

Kristen holds a BA in Graphic Design from Westmont College and a master’s degree in Digital Media Communication from the University of Washington. After a decade-long career in communications and creative leadership, Kristen recently shifted her focus to fine art, combining her lifelong love of painting with a growing commitment to environmental conservation. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Art Association and on the Education Committee for Channel Islands Restoration, and is a member of SCAPE (Southern California Artists Painting for the Environment). Fifteen percent of proceeds from her Channel Islands artwork supports Channel Islands Restoration and its local conservation work.