Yekaterina ( Katya) Zatolokina founder of Artyka School of Visual Art was born in Russia to a family of educators and artists.

Her love for art began in her early years, she won her first art contest at the age of 5. From there, she attended art school and continued her art education at University and graduated with a diploma of excellence . During her years of learning art , she was actively involved in creating art for sale and painted several murals that were used to enhance schools for children with disabilities.

Since graduation, she worked as an artist and art teacher in the public school system. Her professional experience was enriched by her family life with 2 artistic children who taught her many lessons . From them, Yekaterina gained a deeper comprehension of the motivation of children and how to bring out the best of their abilities.

In 2000, Yekaterina Immigrated to Canada, first she was olunteering as an Art instructor at Yorkview Public School. Than, she ran Art Club for more than 150 kids,painted a spectacular floral and animal mural for a school hallway. Later, she was working as an Art instructor at a community center and in after school program at Pleasant P.S by offering Modeling magic, Mural projects, and Introduction to drawing. Soon, she was an Art Teacher at a Private school for gifted children.

Throughout the years of teaching and painting, she was inspired by the influential qualities of art in children and their behaviour. This impacted Yekaterina and led her to pay more attention to aspects of how art could help to relive stress and help to improve development in children. This motivated her to take more courses in Behaviour  Science. Her enriched education provided foundation to use elements of art therapy during her classes.

As a result of many years of experience, Yekaterina's passion for art and an unique blend of studies she has gained insight into a deeper understanding of many possibilities to enrich and balance children and people lives by bringing art. To share her experience and benefit more people, she opened her own Art School and Art Gallery called Artyka. This is a place where children, teens and adults come to learn and explore their own creativity through drawing, painting and sculpting.

To see Yekaterina's art click here.