Beautiful paintings of landscapes, water and reflection

Katie Patel is a self-taught artist based in Bramhall, Stockport, whose vibrant and expressive paintings have earned her recognition across the North West and beyond. Originally a language teacher, Katie spent ten years in education before embracing her lifelong passion for art and building a full-time creative practice from her home studio.

Katie's work is known for its bold use of colour, striking contrasts, and lively textures, which she achieves through acrylics, pen and palette knives. Her style is both versatile and distinctive-moving fluidly between landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, abstracts, and nature-inspired scenes. Each piece reflects her belief that art is a form of emotional expression, with colour and contrast acting as a visual language that connects her inner world to her audience.

Portraiture holds a special place in Katie's practice. She has created celebrated likenesses of frontline workers, including a portrait of Dr. Katie Rogerson for the nationwide #PortraitsForNHSHeroes initiative, later featured in Bloomsbury's Portraits for NHS Heroes book, and a portrait of Midwife Deb Sivori, now on permanent display at Stepping Hill Hospital.

Katie is an active member of the Stockport Art Guild, where she has exhibited since 2017, and she regularly shows her work at galleries and art fairs including The Sculpture Lounge (Holmfirth), Eden Gallery (Newburgh), Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery (Stockport), and the Manchester Art Fair. In 2022, she was named "Manc of the Month" by Cotton On Manchester in recognition of her growing impact on the regional art scene.

Her recent exhibitions include a 2025 solo show, Meandering, at Didsbury Parsonage, as well as ongoing displays at Oil Art Advisory in Knutsford and other venues across Greater Manchester. She also takes part in online exhibitions with international collectives such as The New Art Rebellion, connecting her with a global community of contemporary and abstract artists.

Behind the Work

Katie believes in the powerful and uplifting impact of art, and the important roles that colour and light can play in the resonance felt by the viewer. She seeks images with emotion and atmosphere and, as such, the subject matter of her work varies widely. Painting predominantly in acrylics, she enjoys making strong, bold marks and lines together with subtle, intricate detail to create energetic contrast. Allowing work to develop intuitively, the results range from representational to abstract.

In recent years, much of her work has been inspired by nature, with water playing an important role. She seeks deeper meaning in everyday observations.

"From the minute ripples in a small stream to vast oceans, from a single leaf on a tree to a limitless sky, my observations of nature have led me to an increased appreciation of the interconnectedness of the natural world and the oneness of us all within it"

"Art, for me, is a powerful celebration of life. It serves as a refuge, a way of communicating emotion and exploring and rationalising the world as I experience it. In my world, colour and contrast are key communicators of emotion. By creating art and deploying colour in a way that is truly personal to me, I aim to forge a deeper connection with others."