Katherine Kidwell -
Studio Muse Collaborator, Instrument Repairs, Restoration, and New Making
For more information about Katherine’s services, please visit her website: kmlutherie.com
Katherine started in the field of lutherie in 2015 when she began working at a local violin shop while attending college. Having grown up playing the viola and working with her hands on sculptures, instrument repair and restoration became something she enjoyed and learned quickly. She began pursuing lutherie as her primary career just before completing her Associates degree in 2018. During this time she learned from her colleagues in the shop. In the summer of 2019, she attended the UNH summer workshop where she studied with Paul Wessmire on intermediate violin repair.
In 2021, Katherine was accepted into the first Women In Lutherie Fellowship, where she worked with her primary mentor Stacey Styles in repair/restoration, and her secondary mentor Paris Andrews in new instrument making. During the Fellowship Katherine traveled to Florence, Italy to work on her first instrument with Paris. In the fall of 2021, Katherine was one of the MC's for the first International Women in Lutherie Conference, where she also managed ticketing and co-presented a panel on finance in the field of lutherie.
In spring of 2022, Katherine left her job at the violin shop to pursue further training with mentors and develop her own workshop. Katherine continues to work with Stacey Styles and others on higher education in fine instrument repairs and restoration.
