Meet Katrina Howarth | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katrina Howarth and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katrina, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Hi. Thank you for this opportunity to share my story. I was born in Scotland. We lived in England too. I studied in Edinburgh and received a BA honors in Design at the late Glasgow School of Art. From living in the Scottish countryside on a small farm, an English sunny rose filled village in Elton and the stunning Highlands of Scotland I really believe these environments impacted me greatly as did the love and support from my artistic parents. My Mum a watercolourist, draughtsperson and incredibly gardener and Dad an engineer and bridge, railway designer and planner. Art was a huge part of my childhood When in college I had the opportunity to travel to Barcelona and so inspired by Guadis splashes of colours throughout the city. I later on had the opportunity to do an summer exchange program in the Catskills – teaching art in a summer camp and that’s how my journey started in the states.

I have always loved to follow the sun and from New York, Martha’s Vineyard I ended up in New Mexico. I had never quite seen such big skies and vibrant colors and then when I stumbled across the Art filled windy Canyon Road in Santa Fe it became my passion to be represented by a gallery there.
Over 20 years later I have had an incredibly successful art career selling on Canyon Road. I love to paint and my joy I hope is viewed in each little window of a painting. Hoping to pass on light and a glow to the viewer.

My paintings are a combination of my foot prints in the many lands I have lived and travelled and the playfulness of my brushwork I suppose is my voice of how happy i am to beable to do what I do everyday. Besides being a painter I am married with three beautiful daughters. We reside in Galveston (another story for another time of how we got here) but we have a small home in Taos to keep our roots in New Mexico and spend the holidays there and ski in the winter.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I often hear that my work takes a viewer to a new place, a familiar place in a playful fun and whimsical way. My style has developed over the years and I consider it to be my voice.. I sketch ideas in my sketchbooks and often I will paint a new collection based on a subject matter – my latest has been chapels and ponies from earlier this year of our holidays in Taos. Chapels have always been special to me in NM my husband and I when we first met would take trips in search of an old chapel in the middle of nowhere. Often considering them as love chapels ! The ponies appeared in a neighboring field and the three friendliest souls walked up to my daughters and I – we took many photos in the dusting of snow – the magic as you looked them in their eyes was complete fascination. My paintings are almost like photos on your camera roll marking moments of time whether it be the new palette or vibrant bold or soft tones – each one emerges from the next.
I don’t think I have ever compared or second guessed what I do – it just happens and therefore I keep true to myself – when I sell a painting it is exciting as selling my first and I absolutely love hearing from my collectors of the joy and happiness my paintings add to their lives.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We live in Galveston right on the bay – I think I would just enjoy sharing our home with the expansive water view and cook a lovely meal at our family table with my collection of colorful bowls and plates and favorite recipes as we take in the cool breeze and lovely sunset sky.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My loving parents and my husband and family for their on going support and encouragement and enthusiasm. Alexandra Steven’s of Alexandra Steven’s Fine Art who represented me on Canyon road from 2000 for 20 years- Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art from 2000 to present and a new gallery this summer Beverly McNeil Gallery in Birmingham, Alabama.

Website: www.katrinahowarth.com

Instagram: @katrinahowarthfineart