Q. What is your name, age, and where are you from originally?
A. My name is Katyann Farrar Sullivan. I’m a 30-something creative art educator. I was born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts.
Q. Please tell us more about yourself and your connection to Dorchester?
A. Growing up in Brockton – a culturally vibrant community very similar to Dorchester – I was fortunate to be surrounded by the arts from a young age. I immersed myself in creative outlets early on, from summer camps at the Fuller Craft Museum to baton twirling, chorus, and concert choir. I attended Brockton High School, which has a renowned Fine Arts Department, and took full advantage of every opportunity – especially photography, which at the time meant working with analog film and developing prints in the darkroom.
My connection to Dorchester also runs deeper through my family. My grandparents grew up and lived in Dorchester and neighboring communities, and my mom was born here. When she was a child, my grandfather was able to purchase a home in Brockton, where he and my grandmother raised my mom and her four siblings. That history has always made Dorchester feel familiar to me – like an extension of home, even before I began working here.
My childhood was filled with creativity, performance, and community connection. I was a member of multiple baton twirling teams, including the Brockton Majorettes, where I performed in parades across the city, halftime shows, competitions, and never missed a football game throughout high school. Those experiences really shaped my love for both the arts and community engagement.
I went on to attend Bridgewater State University, where I earned a degree in Fine Arts with a focus in Photography and Art Education. During college, I worked at a local ceramics studio, assisting with programming and sharing my passion for the arts with others.
In 2016, I joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester as the Director of Fine Arts & Media Programming – and from the moment I walked through the doors, it felt like home. Anyone who has spent time at the Club knows that feeling: warm, welcoming, and full of energy, creativity, and care.
Over the years, I’ve built meaningful relationships with youth and families across Dorchester and neighboring communities, using art as a tool for expression, confidence, and connection. My goal has always been to give our members the same kinds of opportunities that shaped my own childhood.
Although the Club hadn’t participated in the Dorchester Day Parade during my early years, I knew it was something that could strengthen our connection to the community. I worked with my team to bring BGCD into the parade, with our dancers, baton twirlers, and Keystone members proudly representing the Club. Since then, it’s become a meaningful tradition for us.
Dorchester has truly become a second home to me. It’s a community rich in culture, history, and pride. When I saw the opportunity to design the new parade logo, I knew I had to get to creating!
Q. What inspired your new creation on the parade logo?
A. I wanted to create something that felt joyful, vibrant, and truly reflective of Dorchester’s energy – something people of all ages could connect with. The inspiration came directly from the spirit of the parade itself: movement, music, community, and celebration.
I was especially inspired by the legacy of the Dorchester Day Parade and the iconic imagery associated with it. As someone working within Dorchester’s arts landscape, the gas tank is a symbol we often return to when creating work that represents the neighborhood. The colors reflect the vibrancy of the community, and the tank itself -– even for those outside the city – has become a symbol of home. For many of us, it’s that unmistakable marker that lets you know you’re back in Boston after being away.
I also wanted to honor the original “band man” logo while bringing a fresh, playful perspective to it. Given my lifelong experience as a baton twirler and performing in parades since I was a child, reimagining the character as a majorette felt like a natural fit. It allowed me to blend tradition with my own personal story and connection to performance, movement, and community celebration.
Q. Does the new character have a name? If so, what’s the back-story? And if not, do you have any ideas?
A. The character has affectionately been referred to as “Dottie the Drum Majorette.” She represents the heart of Dorchester – full of rhythm, pride, and personality.
The name actually came to me organically throughout the design process. I found myself coming back to “Dottie” again and again, and it just felt right. What really solidified it for me was hearing members of the community independently refer to her by the same name – it felt like a shared instinct, and that’s when I knew it had truly stuck.
To me, Dottie embodies both tradition and the next generation. She’s someone who grew up in the neighborhood, found her voice through the arts, and now leads with confidence, joy, and community pride.
Q. What sort of artwork do you normally create?
A. I consider myself a mixed media artist at heart. I love to paint, collage, and sculpt – anything that gets your hands a little messy and fully immersed in the creative process. My style tends to come through in everything I do: bold, colorful, vibrant, joyful, and deeply rooted in community.
Because I work closely with youth, much of my creative energy goes into programming and supporting young artists, so I don’t always prioritize my own personal work. But even in that space, my artistic voice is always present. A lot of what I create – both personally and professionally – centers around storytelling, identity, and community. I’m especially passionate about making art that feels expressive, meaningful, and accessible.
Another major part of my identity as an artist is my work in makeup artistry. I own a bridal beauty company, Katyann Sullivan Artistry, where I create timeless, personalized makeup looks for my clients. That process is very much an art form in itself, and it continues to bring me a lot of joy and fulfillment. As a creative, I’ve never been one to confine myself to a single medium – my work has always been a balance of the many artistic forms that resonate with me.
To be completely honest, digital art is a newer area for me (I went to art school at the very beginning of the digital age), and this logo project definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I started with pencil sketches, then explored color through markers and paint before translating the piece into a digital format. I used Procreate to develop the final rendering, knowing it needed to live across platforms and materials. It was a learning experience, but one I really tried to embrace – and I’m excited to continue growing in that space as art and technology continue to evolve.
Q. What are your plans for celebrating Dorchester Day?
A. While I unfortunately won’t be able to attend the parade in person this year due to a prior family commitment (figures), I’ll absolutely be celebrating in spirit and probably on facetime!
I’m especially excited that members of our Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester programs – including our baton twirlers, dancers, and Keystone Club – will be representing the Club in the parade. Seeing them participate and carry that energy forward means everything, and I couldn’t be more proud.
I have full confidence that my BGCD family will do an incredible job bringing Dottie’s spirit to life on Parade Day.
