Note from Amanda Biundo, VP of Creative & Marketing, Ascent Strategic:
Kathy McGinn has known me since I was an infant, which makes getting to watch her journey as an artist all the more special.
She’s not just talented, she’s a storyteller. Kathy has built a name for herself as a political artist, but what she really does is capture something deeper, the emotion, conviction, and humanity behind it all. It’s rare, and it’s powerful.
My husband and I are lucky enough to have one of her pieces hanging in our home. She gifted us a painting of our wedding portrait, and it’s something we’ll always treasure. It doesn’t just capture how that day looked, it captures how it felt. That’s why I wanted to share her story here.
It’s one worth your time.
By Kathy McGinn (Artist, McGinn Art)
I did not have “a phone call from the President of the United States” on my bingo card.
Washington, D.C. flashed across my caller ID. I figured I should probably take it.
“Hello, I’m calling from the Oval Office. I have President Donald Trump here, and he would like to speak with you. Are you available?”
“Yes. Yes, I am.”
A moment later, he was on the line.
“Are you the artist who painted this portrait of Charlie Kirk?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, it’s amazing. I’m here with Erika Kirk, and I have to tell you—we’re impressed. You are really talented.”
I have a long history in grassroots politics. What began as a genuine desire to make the world a better place for my six children turned into a run for county commissioner, chairing my local GOP, and appointments to various county, district, and state boards.
I believed in service. I believed we live in the greatest country in the world—and that we each have a responsibility to help keep it that way.
But over time, I burned out.
So instead of typing my political thoughts into the void of the internet, I started painting them.
What began as an outlet became something much bigger. My work resonated. I became a sought-after conservative artist, with paintings now hanging in legislative offices and private collections across the country.
The beauty of art is simple—no one argues with a painting. You either connect with it, or you move on.
Then came Charlie Kirk.
Something about him stirred something deeper in me—something raw. It wasn’t just political; it was emotional. That intensity found its way onto canvas.
The portrait went viral.
And with attention came scrutiny—ethics complaints that challenged not only my work, but me personally.
But I didn’t retreat.
I leaned in.
I used that moment to define what my art truly stands for: capturing the tension, conviction, and humanity of the American experience.
When President Trump saw the painting, he saw those same qualities—tension, conviction, humanity.
One human being reaching another through art.
The phone call that I never expected—one of those moments that feels surreal even as it’s happening. What struck me most wasn’t who he was, but how he was. He was warm, kind, and remarkably down-to-earth, with a genuinely affable way of speaking that immediately put me at ease. There was no sense of distance or formality; instead, the conversation unfolded naturally, almost like speaking with someone I had known for years. He spoke with real appreciation for the artwork, asking thoughtful questions about my process. There was a sincerity to it—curiosity that felt authentic, not performative. We talked not just about the painting itself, but about the emotion behind it and the reaction it had sparked. It felt like a true exchange, grounded in mutual respect and shared understanding. By the end of that call, what began as an unexpected introduction turned into something far more meaningful, as he asked me to paint his portrait—a moment that both affirmed my path and opened the door to an entirely new chapter in my work.
That moment changed everything.
What began as a response to political chaos became something far greater—a defining chapter in my journey, and the foundation of McGinn Art as it continues to grow.
Learn more at: McGinn Art
