Hi! I'm Kate, a Sydney-based artist who draws and paints realistic portraits and still life. A lot of my works are life-like, black and white pieces, portraits of inspiring individuals or captivating wildlife. It took me a while to find my groove, and to be honest it could change tomorrow, that's what's so exciting.
Art has always been my escape, and creativity my superpower. Growing up on a farm in Dubbo, surrounded by animals and the land, nature always inspired me, a focus that continues to shape my work today. If my brother and I weren't out digging up dirt or playing with the animals, we were riding motorbikes, picking up rocks and building cubby houses in the best-looking tree we could find.
I was always encouraged by my family to lean into my creativity. Drawing the characters that would come on the TV, Captain Jack Sparrow was my awakening. My mum was amazed, the bandanna and beads, the eyeliner and dreadlocks - looked just like him.
I nurtured this skill throughout my school years, practising and experimenting with various mediums. I did art classes during the school holidays and in after-school programs. I was fortunate enough to go away to the National Art School of Sydney for a short drawing course when I was 15 years old, only to return the following year for their extensive HSC course.
This journey continued after I moved to Sydney, always working on something in the comfort of my ever-changing studio. I have lived in Sydney now for 10 years and I have moved 11 times. Sometimes the communal loungeroom was where I would sit and paint, in one of my homes I would paint in the sunroom with the canvas resting atop of a set of draws because I couldn't fit an easel!
While I enjoy working with a variety of mediums (and yes I have painted with colour), pencil, charcoal, and acrylics are my current go-to's. I'm particularly drawn to black and white art, the stark contrast allowing me to focus on the essence and depth of a subject.
More than just a hobby, I find drawing and painting quite cathartic. Slowly working on creating depth with nothing but a pencil or paintbrush, leaning into the process and embracing patience calms my mind and brings about a sense of peace. When I was young, I would paint to seek refuge in times of overwhelm, now I know that making the time to draw or paint calms my mind in advance, minimising all risks of future overwhelm.
Check out my original works, browse my social media, and dive deeper into my creative world. I hope you enjoy what you see. And perhaps if you know of a young child who's not too bad at drawing life-like things, tell them to keep drawing, because life just, keeps, getting, better.
K.