Q&A with artist Katie O ahead of Wild Walls exhibition at The Base

We had a conversation with Wild Walls street artist, Katie O, about her exciting new exhibition at The Base!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey to this point. 
I’m an artist from Coventry specialising in large murals. I work widely with the community, engaging the public so they feel a sense of ownership and pride in their surroundings.  I studied Fine Art at De Montfort University where I discovered my love of painting. I believe that art is for everyone, it can be used to reflect society, environment and things that are important to us.  My work reflects the connection between community and art and our ability to come together and grow through the creative process.

What are you most excited about for the Wild Walls Exhibition? 
I’m most excited to create an immersive experience for visitors. For them to enjoy a visual journey, dancing like a honey bee, walking through the wildlife and sharing memories and the joy of the common.  

How do you involve local voices or stories in your mural work? 
I’m greatly influenced by people and community in my work. Before starting any mural I like to learn about the local area, the history, wildlife and themes effecting the local people. Creating murals that resonate with the community by integrating local voices and stories all help inform by artistic process. I believe this approach not only enriches the artwork but also fosters a sense of ownership and pride among community members.  

It’s important for me to reflect what passers-by and local residents want to see in the artwork, for them to feel a connection to the artwork which extremely important to my practice and motivates me to learn as much as I can by the community and area.  

How do you begin planning a large-scale mural like this?
Planning is essential for creating large scale artwork however I do like to leave some ideas to flow naturally. It’s essential for me to think about the theme and message within the work and research is vital. However my painting process is very free and unplanned, I don’t usually use any grid or template I love to let the paint and the design flow.  

What led you into mural and street art specifically?
It began by chance. I asked to paint a mural for a friends nursery room, I felt like I had no idea what I was doing but said yes and thought I would work it out later. I took about three days to complete a job which would now take around three hours. I love to see the progress in my painting and want to strive to keep pushing further. It also reminds me that we all have to start somewhere to pursue our passions.  

Street art is then something I took further interest in and my passion to engage passers-by and beautify areas grew. I’ve received such a great response from my public art and can see the difference it makes to areas.  

Who are your biggest artistic influences?
I’m heavily influenced by children’s literature and illustration. I love the imagination of author and artist Shaun Tan. I’m also very influenced by music and listening to music every time I paint.

You've done public art projects in Newbury before with the hopscotches down Northbrook street - how does Wild Walls compare to those?
I loved painting the hopscotches in the Newbury town centre. I see the exhibition as an opportunity to continue the fun and joy created by the hopscotches. There is a hopscotch present in the exhibition and further engagement for the community which I love to do.

How do you hope visitors, especially children, connect with the exhibition?
I hope the exhibition connects deeply with the audience. I want it to be a fun, joyful experience for all ages. I believe letting our inner child out is important in life. I hope the exhibition will trigger childhood memories, shared moments and create new ones for families. I hope it also encourages a younger generation into more gallery spaces and exhibitions, sparking curiosity about art and the world around them.  

Make sure to catch the brilliant new exhibition at The Base which opens on Friday 1 August!