Hello from Katiebutler.art

I’m an artist from Southwestern Ontario, shaped by a family of visual artists and storytellers. From a young age, I was drawn less to historical retellings and more to the illustrated bedtime stories my mother and grandmother created, where I was often the main character.

After earning my undergraduate degree in 2021 and moving to Toronto, I faced a period of change and heartache that pushed me to see the deeper significance of my art. I shifted from classical portraiture to expressive personal scenes that helped me process my emotions and invited others to connect with theirs. I shared this work at the 2023 Toronto Artist Project and later with Tacit Collective and Cry Baby Gallery.

Today, I’m creating a body of work that transforms the emotions of an unhealthy relationship into paintings. By turning mistakes and vulnerabilities into art, I practice radical self-acceptance. My goal isn’t to be unique, but to spark empathy—whether through comfort, discomfort, or recognition of the messy, silly, and sometimes tragic human experience.