Many of Katrina Hoy’s designs and creations have won awards. She holds a cherished pencil drawing of one of her daughters in front of a digital piece of art that she created and won an award for. (Photo by Elisa Walker)

WARSAW — Artists are benevolent individuals who don’t create just for themselves, but create for everyone. Whether it be painting a masterpiece for all the world to gaze upon and admire, or a design created to capture the essence of a business and to draw people in, artists are forever giving their talents to help everyone that they can.

Katrina Hoy, a 62-year-old Warsaw resident, is not only a creator of all art mediums that interest her but the designer and owner for Gaptooth Publishing. Hoy’s company specializes in assisting businesses ran by the baby-boomer generation and showing them the importance of operating on social media as well as teaching them how to utilize it. While she creates designs for businesses and nonprofit organizations, Hoy does some website maintenance for some businesses that don’t understand that technical aspect of marketing.

“I enjoy helping people, especially businesses like the mom-and-pop shops that have been around and don’t really know how to compete in the world today,” explained Hoy. “I like to help people and feel like I’m making a difference. I get inspired from helping other people succeed.”

Hoy has a bachelor’s degree in art from Taylor University. When the modern times began to shift more towards the internet and become digital, Hoy attended many different photoshop, photography and design classes to keep her up-to-date in the ever-changing moments in life.

Physical art isn’t the only way Hoy creates. She also enjoys singing in her free time and has been a part of many chorale groups where she can make beautiful harmonious sounds with other women. As a member of the Kosciusko Extension Chorus, she works with others as a team and brings people together to have a good fun time.

Striving to lead a positive and carefree life, Hoy radiates accepting smiles as she continues to live a life she loves. She can be found enjoying much of the downtown Warsaw area, admiring people and the easy-going atmosphere that she’s able to capture in her designs for Warsaw-based businesses. She is the type of person to pursue what she enjoys doing, refusing to put on a performance for people whose thoughts she doesn’t concern herself with.

“I know there’s a time in life where everyone’s scrambling to make ends meet and be better,” reflected Hoy. “But I don’t feel like that’s me. I think that’s an obstacle I face, just going through all the job interviews that I did and for things that I really didn’t want. I just want to do the things that I enjoy and that I do well. I don’t want to impress everybody anymore.”

Presently, Hoy has been working to get back in touch with her roots in art. It’s easy to become wrapped up in the technological aspects of the world today but she enjoys taking time to get her hands dirty by drawing more in her sketchbooks and painting stained glasses windows, projects she did years ago.
Despite being an artist, Hoy keeps very little of her own art around her home that she shares with her husband. As the art she creates is often for others, she gives it away without another thought. Hoy has two daughters and grandchildren, some of whom she helps guide as they follow the path of an artist.