Kate grew up and was trained in England, and traveled though out Europe as a child. She was one of five sisters. As one of five clamoring children of an overburdened mother, she often found herself knocking around and getting lost in museums where she personally "met" many of the famously inspiring paintings of the European masters face to face. To a starry eyed little artist like Kate that was like meeting David Bowie (or someone like that). Those masterworks pop into her process like an echo as she moves through a painting. Her early formal art training was at Chelsea School of Art in London, later she attended University College at University of London in Art History and Humanities. It seemed a more marketable direction to her parents, but Kate freely admits that she spent most of her time sneaking back into the Studio Art classes.
Painterly, passionate, and expressive; backgrounds are usually simplified. She works primarily in oils and her color palette is predominately impressionist with color being Kate’s language. Movement, contrast and bold brushwork on her subject matter create drama and expression. Most paintings are developed from plein air studies, life or her own photos and videos…or sometimes she just makes it up. She tries to stop working on a piece when it becomes interesting, and it took a long time to learn that.
The inspiration for each piece is varied but always centers around life and the call and response of visual language. There is a story in everything we see. During her early years as an artist, the appearance of the subject matter was so very important and the work tended to be very realistic and detailed. But it was confusing and frustrating because even if it looked good – it lacked the spark and meant little. Buckets of sweat and tears. But as she’s grown as an artist, Kate has realized that what is communicated with each piece is more essential than the outward appearance of the subject, and the work has become more authentic and symbolic as a result. The popular “Wishes” series, the Wild Child dandelions, come from a place of childhood memory, as do the crow paintings. Her landscapes depict the feeling of a place and time rather than record the appearance of it.
Kate currently lives in Maitland, Florida. Her studio home is at McRae Art Studios in Orlando, Florida. An award winning artist, she travels throughout the United States participating in fine art shows, and leading her painting workshops.
