Meet Katie Daker of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Daker.

Hi Katie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have been interested in all things creative since I was very little. I’ve always loved to draw and paint and make things. I come from a long line of “makers”, and my parents are both very creative people in their own ways-my mom as a writer, professional photographer, and now avid potter; my dad has several engineering patents and can fix absolutely anything. They fostered my creative spirit and took my brothers and me on many camping and traveling adventures that gave me a true appreciation for natural beauty. I took art in high school and received a minor in Art History and a concentration in studio art at UNC-Chapel Hill. I worked as an interior designer for a large homebuilder and later as a kitchen and bath designer before deciding to stay home when my first son was born.

I craved artistic expression and treated myself to art classes when my younger son was kindergarten age. At Old World Art in Atlanta, I studied drawing, painting, figure drawing, portraiture, etc. for five years. At my sons’ Montessori school and at home, I taught children’s art classes (and PE!) for 20 years and learned so much from my young students. There is such a purity in children’s artistic expression that is refreshing and inspiring to witness.

Once my boys went off to college and later into the military, Rich and I moved to the North Georgia mountains where I teach an after school art program at a Montessori school in Ellijay. I also teach art events and workshops at Buckley Vineyards and other venues around Atlanta and in North Georgia. My goal as an art teacher in these events is to remind people of and to help them ignite their own unique creative spark. So many people tell me they “can’t draw a stick figure” or haven’t tried anything artistic since elementary school. I offer a different medium to try at each event and have my students practice with it for a while before completing the finished piece. I am always so proud of my students who shake off their nerves and (to their surprise, not mine) create beautiful work! I often hear back from people that they have bought supplies to create works of their own and send me photos of their own creations. We are growing a large artistic community at these events and help local charities while doing so.

The gorgeous landscape where I live, the Gulf Coast, road trips with my family, and all kinds of travel inspire my oil paintings and charcoal drawings. I create a lot of commissioned pieces as well-mostly pet and wildlife portraits in charcoal. I play with clay on the potter’s wheel and make jewelry for fun. I have lots of ideas in the works, and I look forward to what’s ahead!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think that the biggest struggle for me was trying to find time to create while being the mom that I wanted to be for my boys. Creativity takes a great deal of bandwidth and time which is hard to come by in a busy household. Once they were older, I had more time to focus on art, but my house was too quiet…a bittersweet transition in my life as a parent. Going to art classes and workshops and teaching art gave me a creative outlet and a sense of community. I still struggle with finishing pieces in my studio unless I have a commission deadline or a show, but I am working on that! Rich has always been very supportive of all of my artistic endeavors that tend to take over our house.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create and sell original fine art charcoal drawings and oil and acrylic paintings-my favorite subjects being rural landscapes, seascapes, and wildlife. Nothing digital or enhanced-all old school drawing and painting. I do a lot of commissioned paintings, and I specialize in charcoal pet and wildlife portraits. I love the challenge of capturing a beloved pet’s likeness and spirit in a drawing using my favorite medium. I am always honored to work on a special remembrance piece for someone. One of my biggest painting commissions was to create “working” and finished paintings and drawings for Bruce Campbell’s latest movie, “Ernie and Emma”. It was a wonderful collaborative experience working on this project with my brother and Production Designer, Craig (Kif) Sanborn.

I teach art events and workshops at various locations in Georgia with an ongoing series at Buckley Vineyards in Ellijay, GA. At each event, I choose a different medium and subject with a seasonal or regional theme. My goal is to remind people of their “own innate creativity” and to help them express it through experimentation and practice. My students leave with a finished artwork that they are proud to take home. At each event, I highlight a local charity and donate a portion of the ticket sales to it. I love how our artsy community has grown over the past few years, and I really appreciate that people drive to the mountains to participate. Because it isn’t always possible to get to Ellijay on a certain date, I will be offering online art events and classes soon. I am happy to discuss group events at other locations if interested!

I have taught private and small group art lessons to children and adults for 15+ years. I love working with students in-person and online to help them develop their creative skills and discover their own artistic point of view. I offer mentoring/coaching sessions to critique an artist’s work, give them lessons to refine their techniques, and help curate portfolios for admission to college art programs.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
This is an interesting question for me. I was born in Atlanta and grew up in Roswell and Marietta. We moved back to East Cobb to raise our boys in the same school district where I grew up. When I was a kid, there were horse farms everywhere. Now, the houses where my friends grew up have been torn down and replaced with giant new ones. I don’t recognize Sandy Springs at all where my parents’ first house was. I sound so old!:)

When my kids flew the nest, I felt like I had outgrown the neighborhood that I had lived in on two planes-one as a kid and one as a parent. Moving to the mountains was an impulsive decision and a big adjustment. Now, I have a new perspective on suburban and city life. I truly love the scenery, the space, and the community I have found up here, but I miss the culture, restaurants (!), old friends, and activities that Atlanta has to offer. I go back every few weeks.:)

Pricing:

• Art Events: $38-$75
• Commissioned Charcoal Drawings: $225+
• Commissioned Paintings: Per Quote
• Prints: $25-$350
• Oil/Acrylic Paintings: $95-$1475

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ksd-artworks.com
• Instagram: @ksd_artworks
• Facebook: KSD-Artworks