Katie Woods

About Katie Woods 

Katie is a multidisciplinary artist and writer working in personal essay, mixed-media art, and public speaking. Her work is inspired by her own trauma recovery and balances exploring heavier themes such as emotion, embodiment, and grief with everyday moments of inspiration found in rediscovering joy and play.

Artist Statement

I can’t choose one — whether that’s medium, muse, or discipline — and I’ve come to embrace the magic from working with them all. As a self-taught artist, I use a range of techniques and materials to express the complex emotions and seemingly mundane joys of life. My work is heavily inspired by my own trauma recovery, and I create in hopes that sharing my process inspires bravery in others — that they might feel empowered to tell their stories as well.

I most often create using watercolor, pen, and spoken/written word, but healing has taught me that the journey of rediscovering purpose and play requires the openness to make mistakes and try something new, so I don’t limit myself to those mediums alone. Two works I’m most proud of are my “Seeing Colors” collection, a watercolor series exploring feelings through the ‘eyes’ of synesthesia, and my spoken word piece, “I Survived,” a poetic reflection on my experience as a domestic violence survivor. I make my art the way I’ve learned to live my life: following what calls to me, trusting something greater than myself, and honoring my innate desire to tell a story.