Meet Katie Harris

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katie Harris. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katie below.

Katie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

That’s a question I’ve always struggled to answer, because for most of my life, I didn’t think I had one. I was a college drop-out, an aspiring artist, a stay-at-home mom…What kind of purpose could I possibly have? For a long time, I treated “purpose” like it was some sort of competition, I had to discover the most meaningful, world-changing version of it or else I was falling short. But the pressure of ‘forcing’ it was keeping me stuck. Everything began to shift when I started growing deeper in my relationship with Jesus. I began healing old habits, reworking negative thought patterns, and in the middle of it, I found joy. Not a fleeting kind of joy, but a peaceful one. I hadn’t experienced it before, but something in me wanted others to feel it too.

The thing is that my purpose didn’t show up loud or clearly, or as obvious as I would have liked. I struggled with confidence and happiness growing up which led to emotional habits that kept me distant from who I was created to be. But art was always there, and I always felt a need to express myself through writing, drawing or painting. In my early 20s, I started painting on old windows, which led to painting murals. Every painted window and mural, looking back, was a steppingstone to finding my purpose of spreading joy.

The years that followed were full of changes, marriage, a baby, divorce, another baby, and then a second marriage to my now-husband of 15 years. I’d grown up in church, but it was during these years I began to truly draw closer to God. I stopped painting for a while due to health issues, but after my third child was born, I started to feel the nudge to create again. I painted everything from animals, landscapes, portraits. But it never felt right. Looking back, it’s clear: I wasn’t painting from purpose yet.

Then a community art project gave me an opportunity to create-freely. I decided to paint a 3-foot mylar balloon on a flat, steel cut-out in the shape of a dog. A few people commented on it, shared and posted pictures with it, and the joy I saw in their responses reminded me of the windows and murals I used to paint and the happiness people had from those. I painted a few balloons here and there but after about 3 years, I was exclusively painting mylar balloons and the responses had a common theme, joy.

I didn’t realize spreading joy, or encouragement, was my purpose, but God kept giving me opportunities to encourage others through my art and confirmations came through the people it reached. It really wasn’t until 2024 that it clicked. Confidently, I know now that my purpose is to encourage others in whatever I do. And if I really look deep, I can see it’s been in me all along, I just needed to grow into it, give myself grace for the journey, and most of all, I needed to seek God first.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m an acrylic painter based in Southern California, and my art is centered on a unique subject: mylar balloons. They’re colorful, reflective, a little playful, and somehow emotional all at once. I didn’t set out to become a ‘balloon artist’ but once I started painting them to improve my realism, something clicked, and they became the heart of my work.

My favorite part of painting balloons is getting to the details. The creases, highlights and the illusion of inflation off the canvas. That’s what initially draws the viewer in. Once they realize it’s a painted balloon, they stay for a bit, examining the painting. I believe that’s the moment joy hits and when they respond with a smile, it’s confirmation of my purpose and the makes the hours worth it.

I began with originals on small canvases and wood panels, then introduced stickers and fine art prints so collectors could enjoy my work at any budget. I’m always looking for ways to offer unique-limited collections or pieces.

I’ve experimented with balloons on their own, with animals or people, and even a few trompe l’oeil-style works (a three-dimensional painting). I’ve incorporated the use of shipping or glass boxes with deflated balloons and some nostalgic trinkets inside of them. I’m looking into creating dioramas and telling a story within these painted boxes. Later this year and into 2026, I’ll be focusing on building a larger trompe l’oeil collection.

Currently, I create work in collections or a few one-of-a-kind pieces, which I release every few months during ‘Balloon Drops’. I’ll also have six original pieces from my Idiom Series, a playful twist on English Idioms, on display in a group art exhibition at my local County Registrar of Voters office, running from July through December 2025.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

There are so many important qualities but if I had to pick three, the first would definitely be being willing to learn and try new things and ways. Whether it was trying new painting techniques, figuring out social media without a support group or team, learning how to run a business, website, I had to be open to learning as I went, and failing! I didn’t always know what I was doing (still don’t sometimes), but being willing to grow helped me get better and more confident over time. My advice is don’t wait until you feel ready. Try. Learn. Adjust. Repeat.

Second, a ‘keep going when nothing’s happening’. mindset. There were (and still are) seasons where sales, engagement, views are slow, quiet and it feels like I might never be seen again. But I’ve learned that the works still matter. Keep showing up, keep creating. You never know who is quietly watching, being impacted or learning to trust your consistency. The silent season might be setting you up for something bigger, you just can’t see it yet.

Lastly, doing it for yourself first. This one’s big! When I create from a place of personal joy, healing, or expression, it naturally flows outward and connects with others in a more meaningful way. When, and if I try to make things just to please people or chase views, I get disconnected from why I started. Creating from my purpose keeps me grounded and puts me on the path with others who need what I’m making.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

One of the most impactful books I’ve ever read is The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst. It’s not about art, but it changed the way I make decisions in both life and business. I read it during a season when I felt like I had to say yes to everything, every request, every opportunity, every message, every idea that made me feel useful, validated or needed. But it was exhausting! I was exhausted, overwhelmed and losing myself. God is so good.

The book helped me realize that not every opportunity is ‘my assignment’. That hit hard. Sometimes the best way to honor your purpose is by saying no to the things that aren’t meant for you or your purpose. It reminded me that every yes costs something, and if you’re saying yes out of guilt or pressure (like I was), you’re not leaving much room for the things meant for you.

I’ve learned to be more thoughtful and intentional with my ‘yes’ decisions. Just because someone else is called to a ‘task’ doesn’t mean it needs to be my task. (I’m also still learning how to say ‘no’).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katiesusan.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiesusanart
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Katiesusanart
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katiesusanart