Illustrated City LAUNCESTON

In this episode of Illustrated City, I head to Launceston in Tasmania to spend the day with the incredibly talented Katie Barron—a Canadian-born oil painter who’s turned her love of jelly, cakes, and all things sweet into beautifully vibrant, photorealistic art. Katie’s work is so original and full of colour, I couldn’t wait to see it up close and hear more about how food became her muse. We chat about the differences between life in Canada and Tasmania, and she takes me to some of her favourite local spots—cafes and bars where she’s previously exhibited her paintings and built close creative connections. Along the way, we visit QVMAG, Launceston’s main art gallery, and even get invited into the Town Hall to meet the Mayor! Of course, we couldn’t leave out the iconic Cataract Gorge, and we wrap up the episode with a fun little adventure at Penny Royal.