Background

Kate was born and raised in the north in a family that was always busy making things. The eldest daughter of two teachers, she stubbornly insisted on doing art A level at night school in one year, in addition to her four other A levels. However, the sensible arguments won over and following a degree in English at Durham Univerisity (1991-1994) she returned home and began work as a reporter on the news desk of the local newspaper, gaining journalism qualifications along the way.

A move down South saw her blue lighting around the Capital as a press officer for the London Ambulance Service. From there, she lobbied on Whitehall before handling PR and issues management in the Pharmaceutical Industry.

The itch to draw never quite went away so she signed up for a short course with the London College of Fashion in 2017 before joining FIDA. She was shortlisted for several fashion illustration awards and has exhibited work in New York and Miami.

What seemed for a long time to be ‘just a hobby’ became a passion when she stumbled across the story of Tina, a street dog in Thailand. The seed was sown and the rest, as they say, is history.

Kate lives in London with her husband, two children on the verge of flying the nest, and dogs Lolly and Flo.

She loves working with soft pastel for its vibrancy and texture allowing her to create loose, yet instantly recognisable drawings that capture the life force of her subjects.