Catherine Snowstorm (Kateryna Metelytsia) is a Ukrainian-born artist and art instructor currently living and creating in Leander, Texas, USA.
 
Born in Kyiv in 1981, she grew up in a home filled with art, science, and music. Her mother, a professor of biological sciences, played piano beautifully, while her father — an airport technician — loved drawing and playing guitar. Surrounded by creativity, Catherine began sculpting and drawing at an early age, soon realizing that art would become her lifelong path.
 
She studied at Kyiv’s Children’s Art School No. 2 (1993–1996), where she developed her foundations in drawing, painting, sculpture, and art history.
 
From 1996 to 2001, Catherine attended the Kyiv State Institute of Decorative and Applied Art and Design named after M. Boychuk, earning her first Bachelor of Arts degree. There she was taught not only artistic techniques but also how to design jewelry and metalwork with deep understanding of materials and technical processes. This education encouraged her to think as both an artist and a designer — to create works that were beautiful, strong, and feasible in real materials.
 
Seeking to expand her skills, she continued her studies at the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute,” Institute of Publishing and Printing, where she earned a second Bachelor’s (2002–2006) and a Master’s degree in Art (2006–2008). Her coursework covered graphic design, illustration, book composition, modern printing technologies, and visual communication, preparing her for a professional career in the publishing industry.

In 2007, Catherine received a Letter of Gratitude from AEGEE-Kyiv, the European Students Forum, for her contribution to organizing the international youth meeting in Kyiv for promoting intercultural dialogue, communication, and cooperation among young people in Ukraine and Europe to meet and learn about cultural differences, in order to foster mutual understanding, make new friends, to break stereotypes and strengthen tolerance, respect and solidarity. Catherine was member of AEGEE for a few years till graduating, since it's a student organization.

In 2009, she was awarded the Fellowship of the Mayor of Kyiv for Gifted Youth for her personal creative contribution to the city’s cultural development and high achievements in public life. 
 
That same year, she participated in the international training course “Youth Diversity in Intercultural Dialogue” under the EU Youth in Action program, where she developed skills in intercultural communication, debating, project planning, and leadership in creative projects. The same year, she was promoted to Art Director at Blank-Press Publishing House, where she managed book design projects and gained valuable experience in visual storytelling, quality control, and teamwork.

Also, in 2009 she was also promoted to Art Director at Blank-Press Publishing House, where she managed book design projects and gained valuable experience in visual storytelling, quality control, and teamwork.
 
In 2010, she completed the course “Building a Successful Brand” offered by the All-Ukrainian Advertising Coalition, deepening her understanding of branding and identity — skills that later became essential when she opened her own art studio and developed her personal brand as an artist.
 
Between 2010 and 2012, Catherine founded and directed Art Studio “Mystetstvo”, in Vyshgorod city, Ukraine where she taught drawing and painting to children. To strengthen her teaching practice, she undertook a refresher course on “Formation of Creative Personality in Extracurricular Education” (2011) at the Kyiv Regional Institute of Postgraduate Education of Pedagogical Staff. Her students regularly participated in exhibitions and competitions, receiving top honors, and her teaching program was officially approved by the Ukrainian Ministry of Education.

In 2011, she received a Letter of Gratitude from the All-Ukrainian Charitable Foundation “The Road to the Future” for her support and fruitful cooperation in organizing the children’s art festival “Easter Joy.” Her students regularly participated in exhibitions and competitions, receiving top honors.​

In 2012, Catherine transitioned into the computer game industry, where she worked as a game artist for a Ukrainian-American studio. The experience expanded her technical and digital art skills and influenced her painting style, inspiring a new focus on natural forms and emotional depth.
 

In 2016 she actively participated in several art exhibitions in Ukraine, Poland, and Italy:

• “Colors of Life” at the House of the Artist, Kyiv;

• VI International Plein-Air “Brotherly Look” organized by the Malopolska Foundation “Braterstwo” in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland;

• “Art Performance 374 Artists” for the Folk Ukraine Project, part of the National Easter Egg Festival, Kyiv;

• “We Contemporary 2016” at MUSA International Art Space, Palermo, Italy;

• Third All-Ukrainian Exhibition at the Center of Ukrainian Culture and Art, Kyiv.

​In 2017, her art was also presented at the exhibitions:

• “Shevchenko’s Thoughts Are Directed to the Future” at the Supreme Council of Ukraine, for which she received a diploma recognizing her role in popularizing Ukrainian art, Kyiv;

• "The First Exhibition of Ukrainian Book Illustration” at the National Museum of Literature of Ukraine, presenting her earlier graduation thesis “King-Crybaby and Titillation-Man” based on the story by Vasyl Symonenko, Kyiv;

• Collaborated with fashion designer Lilia Poustovit for the 20th Anniversary of Ukrainian Fashion Week art project, organized by ELLE Ukraine, Kyiv;

• ​“Best of the Best” at "SKLO" art space, Kyiv.

That same year, she completed the professional course “Film and Television Acting” in Kyiv, at the Production Center “Showmax”, where she studied film practice, acting skills, speech techniques, and dubbing. This experience fulfilled a long-held dream to explore the world of film and performance art.
 
In 2019, after moving to the United States, Catherine opened Snowstorm Art Studio in Leander, Texas. The studio became a place for both her own creative exploration and for teaching children and adults. Her instruction combines academic drawing with modern art practices, emphasizing self-expression and confidence through creativity. She designed all marketing visuals and materials for the studio herself — including the logo, website (Wix platform), photography, and video content.
 
In 2020, she earned a certificate in “Theory and Practice of Art Therapy in Work with Different Categories of Population” from the National Pedagogical Dragomanov University, deepening her understanding of art’s therapeutic power and emotional impact.

Her growing recognition led to interviews and publications: an interview in 2021 for an Austin-based online magazine; a feature in VoyageAustin (2023), part of the LA-based Voyage Group of Magazines; and an interview for Bold Journey (2024), where she shared her philosophy of creativity and perseverance.
 
In 2024, she completed “Bookkeeping Basics”, an online course authorized by Intuit through Coursera, gaining practical skills in accounting concepts, the accounting cycle, and financial reporting — valuable knowledge for managing her own studio and art business.
 
Today, Catherine Snowstorm continues to grow as an artist, instructor, and entrepreneur. Her work unites artistic precision with emotional resonance, bridging traditional craft and modern expression.
 
Beyond painting, Catherine continues to explore new creative dimensions — from art therapy to music. Her new black acoustic guitar has become a quiet companion in moments of reflection, reminding her that creativity, in all its forms, is a universal language of harmony and self-expression.