Yekaterina Benson in the first stages of painting a landscape on a large canvas in her studio.

Hello!

Fluffy cat resting beside paintbrushes in jars on a window sill.

I’m a painter and life coach currently exploring North Carolina and podcasting from the heart.

I split my time between traveling, painting, coaching, writing, speaking, and hanging out with Klava, the supersoft cat who loves sitting on laps and rubbing against paintbrushes.

I’ve been an artist my whole life, but lost this core aspect of my identity between the ages of 18 and 28 - but luckily, rediscovered it as a part of my Radical Redirection (which also happens to be my podcast - all about pivoting your life, going after your dreams, and finding your life purpose). I’m now back to my soul calling - painting whimsical, colorful landscapes that, at one point or another, captivated my heart and took my breath away.

I paint California redwoods and dry golden hills, coastal views along highway 1, the magical southwest desert, and lush Appalachian hills. All the places that make me feel happy and alive.

About Kat (& Klava)

Yekaterina Benson painting outdoors on an easel, surrounded by green trees and natural scenery.
Yekaterina Benson, enamored by a waterfall, pictures her next nature painting, surrounded by green foliage and brilliant sunlight creating a rainbow effect in the water spray.
Yekaterina Benson, the artist, in front of a neon sign that says "celebrate you" with a background of red flowers.
A painting of colorful trees on an easel, placed by a window with sunlight streaming in. A wooden surface holds a mug, a plant, and decorative items, with a visible book. The scene is cozy and artistic.

12 Fun Facts about me:

  1. I worked on 5 Pixar movies (Coco, Soul, Finding Dory, Toy Story 4, and Turning Red)

  2. I was born in Moscow, Russia

  3. I have a life coaching business centered around following your heart & living out your soul mission

  4. I have a BFA in Film & Animation and made some fun little short animated films during my time at RIT!

  5. I am an ADAPT-Certified Functional Health Coach

  6. I battled Lyme disease, mold, candida, multiple autoimmune disorders and hypothyroidism (just to name a few) in my early-mid 20s - which is what led me to do health research and get my coaching certification

  7. I studied art at Palette Art Studio in CT (and you can still see my high school artwork here!)

  8. My husband and I LOVE Las Vegas and have been there 9 times in the last 6 years!

  9. I’m super passionate about astrology & Human Design

  10. I’m no web designer, but I’ve found myself creating a total of 9 websites since high school (4 for myself over the years, 5 for friends & family)

  11. Arts & crafts run in the family! My mama is one of my best clients, taking the leap from her corporate job to following her passion full time: creating these adorable needle felted animals

  12. In high school, I helped a local artisan (Anatoly Zaya-Ruzo) create handmade antique-style automata dolls like this one and this one. They’ve all been auctioned off and lost, and it’s a dream of mine to get my hands on one that I helped create! (If you find one, let me know!)

Desert landscape with red sandstone formations, sparse vegetation, and a clear blue sky.
Artist sitting on a rock in the mountains, painting a landscape scene. The art supplies include a wooden box with brushes, paints, and a notebook with a colorful painting. The background shows hills, trees, and a blue sky with clouds.
Yekaterina Benson enjoying a sunny day in Las Vegas.