Artist Statment
Inspired by my surroundings, I work both en plein air and in a community studio, creating highly detailed oil paintings and pen drawings that encapsulate the wonderful intricacy of the world we live in. By utilising a variety of idiosyncratic viewpoints, I amplify the coldness and harshness of the urban environment through pen on paper. In contrast, I use oil paints on canvas in a hyperrealist manner to portray the vibrancy and intricacy of the natural world.
Throughout my artistic journey, I have experimented with different genres, styles, and mediums. However, after years of resisting the way I naturally perceive the world, I found myself continuously drawn back to depicting the details of my environment, as this is how I naturally see everything. I often describe it as looking through a magnifying glass, where every detail becomes amplified and impossible to ignore.
My work therefore focuses on bringing what might otherwise be overlooked, or even unseen, into sharp relief. Through my art, I invite viewers to slow down, look closer, and experience a different way of seeing the world—one that reveals the remarkable complexity and beauty hidden within everyday surroundings.
Biography
Katie began drawing at a young age as a way to communicate with and connect to the world around her, a world that often felt confusing and overwhelming. She graduated with a First-Class Honours degree in Fine Art from York St John University, where she was inspired by the work of George Shaw, a contemporary artist known for creating photorealistic paintings using Humbrol enamel paints.
Since graduating, Katie has continued to develop her practice through both studio-based and plein air work, exploring the relationship between observation, perception, and detail. Working across oil painting and pen drawing, her work reflects a fascination with the overlooked elements of both urban and natural environments, encouraging viewers to engage more deeply with the world around them.
