MEET THE ARTIST
Katia Howatson
Katia was born and raised in Quebec's Eastern Townships: the land of hills and farms with unmatched colourful autumn scenery.
She grew up spending much of her time outdoors; feeling the cold dew between her toes while walking barefoot on the grass in the morning, hiking to the local creek with her sister to look for salamanders, gardening and raking leaves with her dad, walking to the local ice rink or building forts in the winter time, and enjoying many family meals outdoors during the summer months.
Nature has always been part of her life, and her travels have also contributed to her passion for wildlife and conservation.
As for her love for the arts, it started at a very young age. She used sit at the dining room table, drawing and colouring with her mom. Arts was always her favourite subject in school, which eventually led her to take two years of graphic design after graduation.
She has been living in Ontario most of her adult life now, and decided to make Orangeville her home. In her spare time, she likes to take her dog to Island Lake Conservation Area, enjoy time in her backyard, visit her favourite local restaurants, or go visit Erin Hill Acres.
Since moving to Orangeville, she has become a member of Orangeville Art Group and Headwaters Arts.
Her emergence as an artist began with an unconventional medium: board game pieces. Prior to being an artist, Katia was a sign language interpreter. The pandemic reduced her workload, which gave her the opportunity to create mosaics using components from games like Catan, Battleship, Ticket To Ride, Monopoly, etc. Originally, the purpose was solely to make people smile, since the pandemic was difficult on everyone.
She developed a truly unique art form by creating stunning images using items no one would have considered an art medium, which gained popularity amongst the board gaming community. She founded her company Board Game Art Creations and dedicated five years creating mosaics she compiled into a yearly calendar and merchandise for board gamers. In the process, she bid farewell to her former career to pursue her passion: art.
Katia ventured into acrylic painting in late 2023, when she had the opportunity to work for artist Matthew Del Degan (the artist behind Lovebot). She spent close to a year painting with his guidance, during which she fell in love with acrylics.
Her time spent creating mosaics and painting for someone else provided a strong foundation she carries into this new artistic endeavour. Over time, she has developed her own style, and her unique paintings are already garnering attention from those who come across them.
