Kirkland received her B.A. in English Literature from San Jose State University. Although art was not her major in college, it has always been her passion. She furthered her art education through personal study and workshops with well known artists such as Judi Betts, Jean Grastorf, Skip Whitcomb, and Eric Bransby. She is also a Signature member of the Pikes Peak Watercolor Society, the Kansas Watercolor Society, the Colorado Watercolor Society and the Rocky Mountain Watermedia Society.
She has won many awards for her paintings during her professional career and recently added two highly prestigious awards in 2006 — the William S. Carmody Memorial Award for her watercolor called “Roman Holiday” from the Colorado Watercolor Society, and Best of Show for her piece called “Vigilance”, from the Colorado Springs Art Guild. Her work is also found in corporate collections and in the collection of the Russian Minister of Education.
