In Conversation With London Artist and Wavism Founder, Katie McGowan

“There is something magical about having your artwork displayed within a home or show apartment. It comes to life in a way that just isn’t always possible in an exhibition space with white, blank walls. In a home, art is in its natural habitat, and you can get a true feel for the impact it will have in a space”, says Katie McGowan, an artist who will be showcasing her dynamic and immersive approach to art in Camden Goods Yard’s Rosetti Showhome this summer. 

The Camden Goods Yard team sat down with Katie to find out more about her art form, known as Wavism, and how Showhomes can also serve as dynamic exhibition spaces for art.

How did your journey into Wavism begin? 

I’ve always loved art, especially at school, but I didn’t study it at university. After graduating and moving to London, I found myself really missing the creative part of my life, so I signed up for a six-week painting course and it all evolved quite organically from there. I started with the basics—still life, life drawing—and gradually became more drawn to expressive, textural ways of painting. When I discovered Wavism, I found a style I truly loved creating in.

Six years on, how are you finding it?

If I am honest, I couldn’t imagine creating art in any other form – working with oils feels so natural to me. The fluidity of the wavy lines brings great energy to a piece, and it has inspired me to evolve my work even further. I am now finding my artwork is much more expressive, playful, and that is a true reflection of my style.

Have you worked with interior designers or residential developers before?

I have worked on a number of individual commissions for independent interior designers but this will be the first time my artwork has been displayed in a Showhome and it is a really exciting prospect.

What makes it so special is that it has been a true collaboration with the designers of the Rosetti Showhome, Atellior, who are using elements of my work as inspiration for some of the designs and fabric choices featured within the new home. For example, some of the fabrics contain rippling effects to replicate my wavy style. This includes the beautiful Kaki armchair in the living room with distinct white curved lines, and the Bengala dining room chairs, which feature an abstract interpretation of the Bengal tiger coat, transforming its distinctive lined pattern into a visually striking design. 

I think people will often design the interiors of their homes first and then consider art to suit that style, but in this instance my artwork was brought in early on in the process. It is a really interesting way of designing a space and means that you have artwork that perfectly suits a space and can also become a real focal point of the home. 

What artwork will you be displaying within The Rosetti?

There will actually be a number of my pieces displayed within The Rosetti, which includes two new pieces that I am currently working on. These two pieces will be displayed side by side in the living space and will have a floral feel to them – think beautiful dusty pinks that will add a real calmness to the space, and reflect some of the beautiful nearby green spaces of Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill. 

Other artworks include Cinnamon, created as part of a sister set exploring duality - drive and rest, fire and tenderness. Where Espresso was about shedding the weight of my twenties and stepping boldly into a new decade, Cinnamon emerged as a gentle reminder to slow down and nurture the self I’d kept hidden. Together, they reflect the balance I’ve finally found - between ambition and softness, doing and being.

Honeydew captures the essence of a perfect summer day - the season where I feel most myself and grounded. There’s a quiet power in the sun’s warmth and the ocean’s calm, mirrored in her soft greens and sunkissed pinks. Honeydew speaks to the freedom, ease, and embodied confidence that summer awakens - a fleeting kind of magic that makes the season even sweeter.

And Cranberry, created in the depths of winter, this piece explores the quiet strength found in contrast - cool, introspective tones softened by moments of light. It reflects a deeply feminine resilience: the kind that endures, warms, and glows, even in the harshest seasons.

What is the inspiration by your works and Wavism style?

Wavism is such a feminine way of painting, the flowing lines and the soft curves perfectly echo the art of painting women and so a lot of my works seek to reflect parts of the female experience but also how people perceive women and artists in general. I think people can often think that if you want to be creative you have to give up on things like financial stability but actually what I am trying to show is that you can be creative and do what you really feel called to do, whilst still making a beautiful life for yourself.

How can people find out more about your work?

Those interested in my artwork can see it displayed in The Rosetti Showhome at Camden Goods Yard from June 2025, on my website www.katiemcgowanart.co.uk or via my Instagram @katiemcgowanart.

The Rosetti one bedroom Showhome has been designed by Atellior, an architecture and interior design studio, for Camden Goods Yard, a new 8-acre destination located in the heart of the borough of Camden. 

The Camden Goods Yard Sales & Marketing Suite is open daily between 10am-6pm Monday-Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday, we look forward to welcoming you.