about Kathy Poitras, Fine Artist Biography
Kathy Poitras was born into an artist family. Her father, commercial and portrait artist, Joe Mallin, was an inspiration to her. At a very young age. She would accompany him to his work sites and watch him paint huge murals. She studied everything he did. By the time Kathy started Kindergarten she already knew what she wanted to be.
Though she knew she was an artist, there were many barriers to her actually getting to the place she needed to be, to accomplish this.
When Kathy was fourteen, she fell in love. By the time she was nineteen, she had two children. Her relationship with her husband didn’t last, and she moved to Manhattan,
where she ran an inner city daycare. This made it possible to care for her own children, and work at the same time. She did this until 1986.
In 1986 illness forced her to stop working, and she went to Vancouver BC to be close to her Mother and Father.
It was in Vancouver BC that she became intensely interested in pursuing her art. A friend had given her an abundance of art supplies, knowing of her interest. Her first paintings were very naïve and emotional.
Kathy’s paintings really illustrated what was going on in her life at that time. Kathy felt joy from her creations, and started to promote her work.
She had a successful art show in 1990 at Imagistics in Vancouver. Her first painting sale was to well known Canadian artist Gathie Falk.
In 1994 Kathy had her paintings in the Gaslite Gallery in Vancouver BC. where she was the feature artist.
Also, in 1994 Kathy married her husband, and soul mate, Jack Poitras. He is the fifth husband.
One of Kathy’s friends made a comment about this.
“Isn’t it great. She never gave up!”
With this union, Kathy’s art took on a whole new theme. Her paintings became a celebration of life and love.
In 1998 Kathy had an art show at Gallery 1313 in Toronto, with artist Raymond Chow.
Kathy has sold her work through private viewings for many years in Vancouver BC.
She is inspired by her own emotions and the beauty and joy she sees around her.
Her mediums include watercolor, acrylic, hand embroidery, beads and appliqué.
In March 2008, Kathy moved to Toronto ON, to be closer to her grown children. She graduated from the Entrepreneur program at Centennial College.
To sum up, one of Kathy’s clients states:
“I find your style whimsical, yet it has a strength that is projected in your strong use of color. There is an innocence that comes across, and I think this is a reflection of your true nature. I also find there is an excitement that is perhaps due to the raw untrained techniques you have created without the supervision of others. This makes your art a unique expression which comes from the heart.
The hand embroidered work is world class and I love the way it can translate as a painting or as textile art” SM
