Katrina Parker Williams
Artist's Bio
Katrina Parker Williams lives in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, with her husband. Katrina graduated from East Carolina University with a Master’s in English Education in 1998. She taught English at a community college for over 20 years while painting in oil, acrylic, and watercolor during her free time. When she was diagnosed with kidney failure in 1997, she continued to work full time until her medical condition forced her to leave her teaching job in 2013. From that point on, she began to paint on a daily basis.
Katrina is primarily a self-taught artist, studying the works of other artists and viewing many art videos online to help her improve her craft. She would describe her artistic style as contemporary realism. She likes to create art that reflects the subtle beauty hidden in everyday objects.
Katrina has experimented with various mediums: oil, acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, and pen and ink. She paints primarily with water mixable oils and loves the fluidity of the oil paints.
Katrina enjoys painting portrait, figurative, and still life subjects, either from photos or from life, using bold, vibrant colors. She takes her digital camera with her almost everywhere she goes as she can discover wonderful subjects for her still life paintings. She uses her computer to enlarge her photo images as a means of creating interesting compositions to use as subjects for her paintings.
Katrina has exhibited her art in local art exhibits, and she has donated her art to her former workplace and to a local dialysis center. This is her way of giving back some of the goodness that God has given to her.
Tina Turner
Artist's Statement
I am primarily a self-taught artist. Although I am not formally trained, I have learned to draw and paint by viewing many art videos online about the drawing and painting processes and by studying other artists' works and artistic styles.
As an artist, I would describe my artistic style as contemporary realism. I want to develop paintings that reflect the subtle beauty hidden in everyday objects and that capture the peacefulness of ordinary settings.
Part of my process before I begin a painting is to determine a subject. Once the subject has been addressed, I focus on a concept for the painting. Will it be a still life, a landscape, or a figurative work? Once the concept is achieved, I work out the details of composition, color, style, paint medium, and support. Sometimes I will spend days allowing the concept to float around in my head before I attempt a painting. Taking this time allows the concept to develop fully in my mind and makes the painting process run smoothly.
With every painting, I do not merely want to re-create the image in the painting; rather, I try to capture the essence of that image in a captivating and provocative manner, using bold, vibrant colors and unique and interesting compositions.
Painting brings a sense of peace and serenity to my life that has been filled with many challenges. I find an inner calmness when I paint, and sometimes I can get lost in the process to the point that the outside world seems to disappear, if only for a fleeting moment.
Creating my art gives me a sense of euphoria that I crave every time the desire to paint hits me. I call it "painter's high." When it hits me, I can knock out two or three paintings in one sitting, but when the feeling flees, it can takes days, sometimes weeks, for that euphoric feeling to reappear.
I create portrait paintings as a way to express the unique spirit of the individual. I gain great satisfaction when a commissioned portrait painting brings joy and happiness to the client. I love to touch the lives of others through my artwork.
There is so much I have learned on my journey to becoming an artist, but there is still so much more to be learned. I am enjoying the process of creating something from my heart and soul and seeing it develop on a canvas right before me. It is as close to a miracle as I have ever experienced. Sometimes, I am even overwhelmed when my vision for a painting has materialized.
I am grateful to be able to devote myself to perfecting my craft. I am always learning and using my knowledge and experiences to become a better artist.