About Me

Katharine (Kat) Guiles Ellis is a highly curious and creative career science educator originally from Syracuse, NY, who now resides and creates in Boulder, Colorado.

Her music life is inspired by her love of swing dancing and connecting with others. She is a Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts (CCJA) trained musician who is authentic and accessible. Her gift of expression and storytelling using her emotive voice lets her cover tunes ranging from reflective to torchy, witty to sorrowful. She is the featured vocalist with the Denver Jazz Orchestra and leads a jazz quintet and sextet. She has shared the stage with Brad Goode, Pete Lewis, Clare Church, Paul Romaine, Harold Summey, Mark Simon, Gonzalo Teppa, Eric Gunnison, Dana Landry, Dave Hanson, Mark Diamond, Chris Symer, Eric Verline, and Gary Hobbs. She has studied with Brad Goode, Victor Mestas, Eric Gunnison, Jeff Jenkins , Dru Heller, Bob Rebholz, Greg Gisbert,, Dave Corbus, Adam Revell, Joey Blunk, and Heidi Schmidt, as well as private lessons, immersion experiences and master classes with Rene Marie, Sachal Vasandani, Ansyn Banks, Jerry Tolson, Sara Gazarek, Rachel Caswell, Judy Niemack, and Alexis Cole.

Katharine’s visual arts path started in middle school, and in high school she won a Scholastic Art Gold Key Award for her portfolio. Her passion for science came from wanting to understand causes of color, and a deep yearning for understanding landscape features in relation to her artistic interests. Her day job as a chemistry and earth systems science teacher has allowed her to share her passion for learning art, music, and science with thousands of students over her 35-year career, while granting her time to pursue her painting and music.  She has studied painting and drawing extensively with Gordon Muck, Jamie Skvartch, Bob Niedzwiecki, and Scott Ruthven. Other influences are Kari Ganoung Ruiz and other great plein air painters.