Stunning murals like this one seem to come out of nowhere. One day, just a bare wall.
Yet we know the mural hasn’t appeared on its own. Every picture tells a story about the artist, too.
For Katie O, great things started from humble beginnings. After school each night, it meant clearing the table at her Coventry home to paint and draw with her sister. This eventually led Katie to a work experience placement in fine art at Coventry University, followed by a degree from De Montford University in Leicester.
A professional artist for 5 years, Katie specializes in images of animal life and the natural world. She’s accepted commissions for her outdoor and indoor murals from all over: offices, community centres, and schools too. Pupils are encouraged to add their own ideas, and even participate in the work itself.
Now that Katie’s home city of Coventry is this year’s UK City of Culture, there’s never been a better time to be a visual artist working in the area. Katie also points out how, during the pandemic, art has proved a source of consolation and meaning for many.
She’s seen firsthand how the pressures of lockdown have given the public a keener awareness of the joy that art can bring – as a viewer, or as a practitioner. By appealing to our sense of beauty, art can awaken that dimension within us that transcends our ordinary human experiences.
She’s also witnessing how art-based therapies are on the increase, as mental health dominates the public conversation. Such are the redeeming features of difficult times.
Katie believes you don’t have to be especially knowledgeable about art to enjoy it or create it.
“Art isn’t for an elite, it’s for everyone. If an artwork has an impact on you, then your viewpoint matters. I really value the role of public art, and I love to hear what people have to say about the effect it’s having.”
Check out more from Katie O on her website: https://www.katieoart.co.uk/
