Katie Vandergriff

Katie Vandergriff can never be found without a camera in her hand. Her passion for capturing life on film makes her a rather annoying party guest, but handy to have at the occasional family reunion.

Vandergriff’s award-winning photography has been displayed at the Smithsonian and Epcot, as well as in numerous local and regional art museums and shows. Katie’s work has been published in national magazines, business literature, newspapers, and books, including Time-Life’s photo-documentary, “Look at Life”, and “Country.” She is a graduate of the New York Institute of Photography, is a Fellow with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and has been a member of the State Art Network since its inception.

In 2000, Vandergriff loaded up her three pre-school children, her trusty camera, a boat-load of film, and occasionally the family dog, to trek across her great state in search of “Tennessee”. Four years later, her youngest child just started kindergarten and they have finally accomplished the task – visiting every county in Tennessee – all 95 of them.

“This year when my daughter’s fourth grade class studies Tennessee history,” says Vandergriff, “she will be able to share first hand experiences from all over the state.”

“We have hiked through the snow in the Smoky Mountains, and swam in the waterfalls where they filmed the live version of “The Jungle Book”. By taking the back roads and searching for “Tennessee”, we have seen our state up close and personal. We all have a better understanding and appreciation for our state’s own unique history and culture.”

When not traveling the state lurking in dark alleys to photograph manhole covers or silently stalking bystanders to read their tattoos and T-shirts, Vandergriff resides in East Tennessee. She and her husband, David, live in an ever-being-renovated Victorian farm house with their three children, Maranda –9, Elisa –8, and Houston –6. Their household also currently includes four hermit crabs, three cats, two guinea pigs, and one very well-traveled dog.