Conversations with Kate Tova

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Tova.

Hi Kate, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Art has always been my joy, my therapy, and my way of learning about the world and connecting with people. Once I saw how deeply people connect with my art, I became even more motivated to keep going, especially during the difficult times.

My recent big milestone is the solo museum exhibition “A Place to Rest (My Tired Mind)” at Oceanside Museum of Art. I could truly write a book about how I got here. I would say that one of the most important things at every step of an artistic journey is believing in yourself. You have to believe in yourself before anyone else will. That belief got me out of some low moments.

I had the privilege of having a “boring” childhood. I did not have many gadgets and my family did not have a lot of money for art supplies. So I was always making something out of nothing. Back then I did not know it was called art.

I arrived in New Orleans with two suitcases and nothing to my name. I was determined to start my art career, but I did not know a single soul. One day in the park, I saw an adoption event held by Take Paws Rescue. I ended up fostering over 40 dogs for them and donated my art to help them raise funds. I would always recommend artists in the beginning of their careers find the charities that they resonate with and support them with their artwork. I got some valuable introductions thanks to that and saw the way the audience reacts to my work.

Once I moved to California, I continued experimenting and getting involved with different organizations that share my values. My art has always been inspired by the vibrancy of nature, but here I took it to the next level. With each show and each series, I introduce some new elements into my work, from making canvases out of clothing to using flowers from my garden as brushes. It brings more fun to my studio and makes me excited about what is to come.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Paradoxically, the best work happens right after some low, rough, and bumpy moments. It is never a smooth road for too long. There are challenges at any stage of an artistic career. I always tell beginner artists to enjoy their time right now. In the beginning, you do not have serious deadlines or expectations from a big audience, and you likely enjoy more downtime and freedom. Growth is exciting and fame always looks great in pictures, but the pressure can be very overwhelming. That is why so many artists move outside of big cities to get relief and some quiet time to just create.

I am also a deep introvert, as many artists are. As I grow, I get invited to more and more events, artist talks, workshops, and other appearances. I do enjoy it all, but I always need to balance it out with quiet time alone. Learning to navigate the shift from a quiet studio to busy gallery and museum show openings (I call them my weddings because everyone is trying to talk to you and you end up talking for three hours straight) is so crucial for an artist, and I am so happy I was able to get over my shyness and overwhelm with time. I love meeting people whose hearts connected with my art and giving them my full presence.

Being a full time artist is an exhausting job that is not for everyone. Maybe other people make nicer bosses, but I am very tough on myself. I constantly learn by doing and by making a lot of mistakes. The first time I transported my canvas artwork on the roof of my car, it was wrapped in paper and the paper started ripping off and flying around on the freeway. Some lessons are more dramatic than others… but I am grateful for them all. Sometimes I invest a lot of time into something just to scrape it all off later and start over again. You can never expect to control everything and for all to go according to plan. You always need to be ready and excited for the surprises.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work is all about the deep connection between our inner emotional lives and the natural world around us. As a multidisciplinary artist, I create mixed media paintings, sculptures, and installations that draw equally from my Ukrainian heritage and the California landscape right outside my studio. I view nature as a living archive of memory, resilience, and care. I focus on themes of healing and connection, and what it means to find sanctuary in an often overwhelming world.

What really sets my process apart is how directly I collaborate with nature itself. Along with traditional oil and acrylic paints, I bring organic elements straight from my garden into the studio. Instead of relying only on standard brushes, I harvest plants and flowers from my garden to apply paint directly onto the canvas. Letting the plants act as both the tool and the subject gives the whole process a seasonal and ritualistic quality, leaving unpredictable marks that standard brushes just can’t recreate.

I’m most proud of creating art that offers people a real sense of rest and collective peace. A great example of this was my recent museum exhibition, “A Place to Rest (My Tired Mind)”, where I looked at the incredible parallel between California wildflowers blooming after severe wildfires and human recovery from burnout. By framing the landscape as a mirror for personal awakening and emotional recovery, the work invites a deeper level of care for ourselves, each other, and the planet.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was a shy and quiet kid. The outside world always seemed loud and overwhelming, so I built my own safe, quiet, vibrant worlds with my hands as artworks or in my imagination. I am endlessly grateful for a simple childhood and being able to spend time in nature as a kid. A vivid childhood memory of mine is making flower soups. I would pick different herbs and flowers, put them in a pot, add warm water, a sprinkle of dirt, and dig my hands in. It was the most pleasant tactile and visual memory that also smelled amazing. To this day, I am still drawn to collecting rocks, leaves, and flowers, and looking deeply into small details in nature. I think never losing that childlike sense of wonder is key to appreciating being alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katetova.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate_tova/

Image Credits
All photos are courtesy of Kate Tova.