Meet Katie

Hi, I’m Katie Trafford, or simply KT. I was born in Calgary and have lived both here and abroad, eventually finding my way back to where I started. My earlier career was in finance, spent on trading floors and in business, but that chapter has come to a close.

My life shifted when I began painting in earnest and discovered the rewards of a more creative, expressive way of living. Painting offered a different kind of education, one rooted in experience, curiosity, and trust. For over a decade now, it has been central to my life and practice.

I have never followed a traditional academic path in art, but I have been deeply shaped by mentorship. Along the way, teachers and peers encouraged me to let go of rigid ideas about what art should be, to stop comparing my work to others, and to move forward without fear of making mistakes. One early influence was the book Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, which helped me understand that confidence is something built through action, not certainty. That idea continues to guide my approach to painting.

I paint to understand myself and the world around me, to explore emotion, and to stay open to discovery. I am drawn to imagery that reflects memory, impermanence, and the emotional experiences we share as humans. While I care about developing my skills, I paint first and foremost for myself. My work moves between tenderness and sorrow, restraint and quiet humor, always shaped by authenticity and lived experience.

I continue to paint as a way of moving forward, learning, and making sense of what it means to be human.