BIOGRAPHY

Katie uses pastels to create her intricate contemporary still life.

 

The objects she use to create her still life pastels are all purposefully selected and carefully curated. Many of the pieces have been with her for many years, either from childhood or passed down through family. Others are sourced from local charity shops, as a fiend for a vintage bargain, but they must speak to her and hold some form of pre-tech nostalgia. It may be a shape, a colour or a particular texture, but more than anything, the items Katie selects for her compositions will have to hold, for her, a sense of timeless beauty. 

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Sitting firmly within the context of historical still life Vanitas, Katie's work invites the viewer to reflect upon the value of time and the fleeting nature of life. There is a permanence yet fluidity of memories and nostalgia deeply embedded in each piece. They celebrate the glorious moment of stillness, the breath between the busyness, and question whether the true luxury among all Katie draws is actually the moment itself.

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Katie's compositions are carefully curated using specifically selected items that contribute to the overall theme or messaging of each piece. Once sourced, she play with shape, balance, light and colour, which often feels at this point that she is thinking of her work more in terms of abstract than realism. Some work is heavily lit, whereas others use moodier lighting, but each methodically feeds into the overall message of the piece. Working from photo references of these compositions, Katie uses a mixture of soft pastel sticks and pastel pencils to faithfully portray each object. The velvety nature and rich pigments of pastels are able to celebrate a range of surfaces in a way which, she feels, enhances a sense of luxury. The laborious time-consuming nature of each piece deepens the work’s identity: time is precious. 

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