By Ken Mammarella
Contributing Writer

Katie Gorman has so far painted 11 murals on the walls and ceilings of her home, and she has many more of her artistic creations on display, such as a macrame garland adorning one window, yarn art that started as Christmas decorations but now hangs from a chandelier and multiple small works in frames. 

“I’ve always been involved in art,” said Gorman, who grew up in northern Virginia with two siblings. “My mom was very supportive of our creativity. She always has a million art supplies.”

She follows that nurturing manner for daughters, Bennett, who’s 9, and Finley, who’s 6. She and her husband Ryan use what was probably built as a dining room for three functions: dining room, library and craft room. “Why have a room used only for guests?” she said. “We use it every day.”

Craft supplies include tumblers to be engraved as gifts to teachers, a gallon of Amazon glue and a bin of random items that could somehow inspire art. “I don’t want to waste stuff,” she said of the last group, repeatedly adding how she likes to score bargains on supplies, including “oops” cans of undesired custom paint.

It’s a noteworthy transformation for the two-story house, near Middletown, where every wall was gray or white when they moved in in 2021. She understands the bland color scheme, because she and Ryan similarly had their old home repainted, covering earlier murals, when they sold it. “We wanted this blank slate for people to envision themselves.” Katie has executed a bold and joyous vision.

“It’s not the normal thing to have a mural on the wall,” Ryan said, with Katie immediately adding “Or 11!” “Visitors gravitate towards them, but sometimes we point them out, like the one behind the front door,” which is his favorite. “It’s a microcosm of the entire mural system for you,” he said to Katie. “It’s makes you feel good.”

Food is another medium

Gorman earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, with a minor in theater at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa., where one classmate was Ryan’s best friend. Before moving to Delaware, she worked for a healthcare system, handling marketing, public relations and volunteers.

Ryan, a warranty claims specialist for Nissan, grew up in Delaware, and his parents, Buck and Kyle, live just 10 houses away. Ryan and Katie moved because they wanted better schools, and they placed both daughters in a Mandarin immersion program. “We want our girls to be cosmopolitan,” Katie said.

Katie’s murals started simply, such as an alphabet in many colors and fonts above their daughter’s crib and a teal chalk wall that she updated on a whim with new designs.

She pivoted from acting to art when her daughter was born. “I needed some form of creative expression that I could easily do during nap time and that would give me the same satisfaction that acting gave me,” she said. “I found hand-lettering first. I started an Instagram for that, and I practiced every single day for a year. Then I found some watercolor techniques to combine with that. Then I started delving deeper into watercolor on its own. And from that, I got into mural painting. 

“I chronically jump from one craft hobby to another. I did engraving. I created 6-foot organza flowers for a friend’s wedding. I did hand-lettering with tactile materials. Food is one of my favorites.”

She pulled out her phone and showed off a work made of rice and baked goods that read “Feed me carbs and tell me I’m pretty.” The video then showed a hand sweeping across the artwork and destroying the lettering. “Art doesn’t need to be permanent,” she said. Ditto for a series where she interpreted song lyrics through food, like “bye, bye” written with dough scraps on an American pie.

Murals elsewhere

Gorman has learned a lot of techniques through online videos, on sites like Skillshare.com, and through intense practice. She passes along her skills and her enthusiasm by teaching at the Everett’s Gibby Center for the Arts in downtown Middletown. (She also designed and painted a front-window mural there.) She teaches hand-lettering (“less rigid than calligraphy”), multiple aspects of watercolors and slime making (“Come squish, stretch and create your very own colorful slime masterpiece!” a listing on Instagram promises).

“Katie is an exceptional artist and educator who brings remarkable talent to both her creative work and teaching,” said Michelle Truban, director of operations for the Everett. “Her gentle demeanor and infectious enthusiasm create an engaging learning environment. Katie’s passion for art is evident in everything she does, from creating impressive wall murals to providing thoughtful classroom instruction. She has a natural compassion and dedication to her craft that make her an invaluable member of our artistic community.”

Chrissy Saum won a custom mural that Gorman had donated for a Griffin Theatre fundraiser. “My daughter Brooke has done plays at the Griffin,” Saum said. “Brooke looked at pictures of what she wanted Katie to paint, and Katie sent back a design that Brooke and I both loved – it was large mushrooms and flowers in a black and white theme. Katie then came to our house over a three-day period to paint the mural. It came out great!”

Gorman invites custom work and promotes her designs on Instagram (www.instagram.com/katiegormandesign) and https://katiederosagorman.wixsite.com/katie-gorman-art-a-1, more easily accessible from Instagram.

Gorman has also offered to paint murals in her in-laws’ home and in the Middletown home of her brother-in-law Aaron. “They’re not ready to commit,” she said. “They’re not as eccentric.”

“I don’t ask for these,” Ryan said of the murals in their house, with Katie immediately laughing. “What’s funny is that her need for a mural usually comes up when we have too many things going, and it’s impractical. And that’s when I know she needs this.”